Recuperating
by ladyd10
Summary: My take on the time frame between Backfire and Meltdown. Recuperating has been very hard on Calleigh and Eric wants to do something to make her happy. Rated M just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: The writers making light of Calleigh's brush with death this season has bugged me to no end and has prompted this fic. I've inserted months between the end of Backfire and Meltdown, since there should have been time mentioned before Calleigh came back to work. Face it, her heart stopped. At the end of Backfire, Eric did say that she needed to be back in the hospital, so I'm guessing he took her back. This is my take on a few months down the road. Tell me if you want me to continue beyond this.

_**Recuperating**_

Eric put his arm around Calleigh and pulled her closer as she snuggled up against him. They were watching a culinary show showing off the beauties of Puerto Rico. He looked down at her; her half-closed eyes telling him that she was beginning to get sleepy again. The newest round of her medication beginning to make her drowsy.

"Why don't you lay down and take a nap, babe?" he murmured into her ear.

She shook her head. "I'm not that sleepy. Puerto Rico is beautiful."

He grinned, knowing her old stubbornness was really returning after her two month convalescence after nearly dying from smoke inhalation. "It is. I really wanted to bring you with me last fall. I missed you every day I was gone, but I knew you couldn't take off after all your sick leave last year."

"I would love to go sometime," she sighed, stifling a yawn.

"And I would take you in a heartbeat."

"H, hold up a minute!" Eric called down the hallway after his boss.

Horatio stopped, half turning back to face a rapidly approaching Eric. "What do you need?"

"A favor. I know I haven't been back here too long, but I really need a weekend off sometime soon."

"Any reason?" Horatio asked, his curiosity piqued.

Eric cleared his throat. He was suddenly nervous. "You know Calleigh and I are involved. We've been in a relationship for almost a year and a half now. Depending what her doctor says at her next appointment, I'd like to take her for a weekend away for our 18 month anniversary."

Horatio smiled, blue eyes crinkling at the corners. "Where do you want to take her?"

"Puerto Rico. See,we were watching this show the other night and-"

"Eric, take the time," Horatio said, cutting his brother in law off. "By the way, how's Calleigh doing?"

"She's struggling. The doctor is finally letting her heart rate increase and she's begun rehab for her lungs. She's much better than she was when she got out of the hospital, but she has a way to go yet. Some days she makes incredible strides and other days she can barely get out of bed. The meds she's on give her a hard time. They make her nauseous and sleepy. She has no appetite. She eats because she knows she has to. This has been so hard on her that I just want to take her away, you know. Maybe getting her out of the house and Miami would be good for her. Make her feel a little normal again."

"You give her my best and let me know what her doctor says. Tell her I'll be by to see her in a couple of days," Horatio said warmly. He hadn't been aware that Calleigh struggled so much with this recovery. A sneaky and wonderful idea started forming and his smile grew until he was grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"What's that smile for?" Eric asked, but only received a chuckle as an answer.

"So, you have news for me?" Horatio asked a smiling Eric.

"I do. I can take Calleigh on that trip. I'm going to book a flight tonight for this weekend, if that's alright," Eric told him.

"That's, that's wonderful, Eric. Does Calleigh know you're doing this for her?"

"No idea at all."

"Good. I'll drop by tonight after shift and bring some take-out and visit with her. Now that I know she's getting better, I feel better," Horatio said. He had visited her in the hospital and came away each time shocked at how weak and small she seemed. Once she had been released, he visited less often, not wanting to disturb her or stress her out. He was looking forward to seeing her that evening.

Horatio doled out the Chinese take out containers as they sat at Calleigh's dining room table. He took time to look around and noticed quite a few of Eric's things around the house. Had Eric moved in? Or was it a temporary move while she was recovering? "So, I hear that congratulations are in order. Eric told me that you're improving and could be back to work by the beginning of September. We'll all be glad to have you back."

"Yeah, it is good news. I'm actually beginning to look forward to coming back to the lab. I know I'll be on desk duty for a while, but I'm sure there'll be plenty to keep me busy," Calleigh said, while digging into her shrimp lo mein.

Eric eyed his boss suspiciously. What did he have planned?

They ate with good conversation and some laughter, Horatio keeping a wary eye on Calleigh. She seemed to be in good spirits and even weathered a small coughing fit well, her breathing becoming regular quicker than he had thought. He helped Eric clean up before taking a seat next to Calleigh on the couch.

Eric sat on her other side and she automatically laid her head on his shoulder. "Cal, remember last week when we were watching that show on the travel channel about Puerto Rico?" Well, I asked H for this weekend off to take you. Your doctor said it was alright as long as we kept you on your schedule with your meds and that you got plenty of rest and watched your heart rate."

Calleigh's eye got wide and a look of delight dawned across her features. "Puerto Rico; this weekend?" She squeaked.

"Yep."

"Eric!" she cried, throwing her arms around him and kissing him passionately.

Horatio smiled at the unaffected display. He cleared his throat and they broke apart with guilty grins. "I think this is my cue to get going." He rose and went over to Calleigh, leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Enjoy this weekend."

I will, Horatio," she replied.

"I'll walk you out," Eric said, following Horatio to the door.

"Step outside with me for a moment," Horatio said. He waited for Eric to semi-shut the door behind him. "Eric, you and Calleigh have had a terrible year with your shooting and crash and now this with Calleigh. If there were any two people that deserve a vacation to a beautiful tropical island to rest, relax and forget everything, it's you two. I know you haven't made any calls yet because I was right behind you. This weekend is on me. Everything; the flight, hotel, meals; everything."

"H, I can't accept that. It's too much," Eric protested.

"No, actually, it's not enough. You and Calleigh are all I have left from the original team and are two of my oldest friends. We've all been through far too much together for me not to want to do this for the both of you,." Horatio reached into his suit jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope and handed it to Eric. "This is everything you'll need. Your flight leaves from Miami International tomorrow at 7p.m. I want you to enjoy yourselves. You deserve it."

Eric took the envelope, touched beyond words. He started to shake Horatio's hand, but pulled him into a brief hug. Thank you, H. Thank you from the both of us."

Horatio pat him on the shoulder. You just have a good time."

Eric returned to the bench after checking their luggage in. "All we have to do is wait for our flight number to be called," he said, sitting back down next to Calleigh.

She yawned. "I can't believe that Horatio is picking up the bill for all of this. It's the most generous thing I've seen him do in a while."

"I think the both of us have given him enough scares in the last year that he's just glad we're both still alive," Eric commented as he gazed in his girlfriend's tired emerald eyes. "We have about an hour before they'll be calling our flight number, so why don't you take a short nap?"

"Here, in the airport?" she asked incredulously. "I couldn't."

"I'm right here. Lay down on the bench and doze off for a while. I don't want you to exhaust yourself before we get to San Juan," Eric reasoned as she tried to stifle another yawn.

"But what if someone needs to sit down?" she objected. She was getting drowsier by the second and it was getting harder to fight the urge to close her eyes and sleep. She wasn't going to be able to resist much longer.

"There are other places; lay down," Eric said softly.

Sleepiness won. She nodded and laid down on the bench, using Eric's lap as a pillow. It wasn't long before she was out cold. Eric gazed down at her and gave thanks for the millionth time that she was able to be revived and he was still blessed to have her in his life. He had vowed, as she lay in ICU after waking up, that he'd do his utmost to make certain that he did nothing but make her happy for the rest of his life. He'd been doing his best since then.

"Is that your wife?" a senior lady asked him. She was in a yellow and orange pantsuit and her hair was still blonde. She had blue eyes that crinkled at the corners as she smiled at him.

"No," he answered softly, absently stroking Calleigh's silky hair to lull her into a deeper state of sleep. "She's my girlfriend."

"You have it for her bad, then. My husband used to look at me that way. She's a lucky lady," the woman said. "I'm Aileen."

"Eric, and I'm luckier to have her. You said "used to". What happened to your husband?" he asked kindly.

"He was killed four years ago. He was attacked-I'd rather not talk about it. So, Eric, how did you and your lady meet?" Aileen asked, settling in for the story.

Eric let a little smile cross his lips as the memory surfaced. "We've been co-workers for a good ten years. Then, almost four years ago, I had a work related accident and was critically injured. The only time she left my side was to go to work because there was no way she would have gotten leave time to sit with me. We were just co-workers and friends. It took a lot of therapy to get me fit for work again. She was right there with me whenever work would allow. I realized that I was beginning to have very strong feelings for her, well, that I had been having them for about a couple of years, anyway. I didn't think she felt the same way and so I didn't say anything until about eighteen months ago. Actually, it's exactly eighteen months ago this Monday. Calleigh was critically injured and I had to face the fact that I might lose her, so I told her how I felt. It turned out that she had been feeling the same way for a while and we decided to give it a go. I'm taking her Puerto Rico for our anniversary. How about you? Where are you headed?"

Aileen sighed. "Germany to visit family. I do a lot of traveling since I retired."

Eric liked this kind lady. "What did you used to do before you retired?"

"I used to teach sixth grade history in Chicago. I taught for 34 years, most of that time in the same school. As much as I'm loving my retirement, I miss the kids. They kept me so young. Sometimes they were so funny and creative and kind. Some were, well, difficult. The good ones were the best of the best and their papers and projects just helped me find their potential," Aileen gushed. "Some days I want to go back to teaching."

"I wish I had a teacher like you. You must have cared for every student you taught," Eric said.

"I did."

"Flight 73 bound for San Juan now boarding at Gate 5."

"That's us. It's been nice talking to you, Aileen. Have a great trip," Eric said as he gently shook Calleigh's shoulder. "C'mon, babe, we have to get on the plane now."

Calleigh opened her eyes and stretched. "Already? Who's your friend?"

"Cal, this is Aileen; Aileen, this is my girlfriend, Calleigh," Eric introduced as he gathered their carry-ons.

"Nice to meet you," Calleigh said, extending her hand.

Aileen took it, shaking it firmly. "Likewise. Have a great anniversary."

"Thanks. You have a good trip, too," Calleigh said as Eric lead her away. "She was a nice lady."

"Yeah, she was. Now, are we getting on the plane or not?" Eric asked playfully.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: Thank you for all the reviews and I'm glad that you like it so far. Now, this is where I need your help. I have some ideas on what I want to see happen in the story, but there aren't many of them...so tell me what you'd like to see happen keeping in mind that Calleigh is only at about 50 percent of her normal self.

_**Recuperating chapter 2**_

Eric smiled as he held Calleigh's hand as she watched the sunset through the airplane's window. He raise it to his lips and kissed her knuckles, causing her to redirect her attention from the sunset to him. She smiled in return.

"What?" she asked.

"You haven't looked this happy since before the fire. Your eyes are sparkling and your cheeks are flushed. I've missed that," Eric said, giving her hand a squeeze. "We're going to be landing soon. Are you ready to handle the landing?"

"Now that I know what to expect, I think so," Calleigh replied softly. She had nearly freaked out on the take-off when the minimal force hit her chest as they left the ground. She suddenly couldn't breathe and tried not to panic. Eric dug out her rescue inhaler and helped her take it. Within moments she could breathe again. She had been mortified. "I'm good, Eric."

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain. We will be making our decent to the San Juan Airport in a few moments. It is 9:06 p.m. and a balmy 79 degrees. Have a good evening and enjoy your stay in beautiful Puerto Rico," the Captain said and then repeated it again in Spanish.

"You want your inhaler?" Eric asked as the first pressure of descent began.

Calleigh began to feel the pressure and the breathlessness return and held her hand out. As calmly as she could, she took the medication and then closed her eyes, waiting for it to work. Slowly, the breathlessness eased up and she was nearly normal just before they touched down.

Eric squeezed her hand. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

They got off the plane and waited for their luggage to be unloaded. Once that was done, Eric hailed a taxi to take them to the hotel. He knew which one that Horatio booked them into the Ritz-Carlton. He tried to get his brother in law to change the reservation to a less expensive hotel, but Horatio wouldn't agree. Eric couldn't wait to see the look on Calleigh's face when they pulled up. He couldn't wait to see what kind of room Horatio booked for them. The Ritz was an extremely luxurious hotel and Eric had only been in the lobby once, but it had left a lasting impression on him. He placed his arm around Calleigh's shoulders and drew her into him. "Happy?"

"Unbelievably. What do you want to do when we get in?" she asked, eyes still sparkling in the lighting. It was nearly as bright as Miami at night.

Eric shook his head. "Calleigh, it'll be after ten and it's been a long day for you. I think we should just unpack and go to sleep."

"But, Eric-"

"No. You're still recuperating and I won't jeopardize your recovery, alright? I promised Dr. Goldflies that I'd take good care of you. I don't want to break that promise," Eric said sensibly. "We'll start vacationing in the morning."

Calleigh sat silent for awhile, her head resting in it's space on Eric's shoulder. He was right and she knew it. "Okay; you're right. I'm just excited."

"I can see that," Eric said as the cab pulled up to the hotel.

Calleigh pulled away and gazed up at the hotel, her mouth dropping in awe. "This is...I mean...Horatio booked us into here? It's too much. You told him that it was too much, right?"

"I did and he wouldn't change the reservation. He said for us to accept it and that was it. You know how he is when he makes a decision; he doesn't change his mind," Eric replied as the doorman came and opened Eric's door for him and then he came around and opened Calleigh's door, offering her his hand to help her out of the car. A valet was already loading their luggage onto a bellman's cart. Once he was finished, he lead them over to the concierge.

A blonde hared man with bright blue eyes behind his wire rimmed glasses smiled at them as they approached. "Mr. Delko and Ms. Duquesne?" he asked politely.

"Yes," Eric answered, a little stunned.

"Lt. Caine told us to expect you about this time. He explained the situation to me very clearly and this hotel will extend every courtesy we can for you and Ms. Duquesne," he said kindly. "This will remain in confidence."

"What did he tell you?" Eric asked. He wasn't angry, exactly.

"Only that Ms. Duquesne is currently recuperating from a work related injury and to make sure that your room was in a quiet area," he supplied. "I didn't mean to offend."

Eric glanced at a quiet Calleigh. She was looking tired and pale again. "Yes, she is so can we get checked in and up to our room as soon as possible?"

"Of course." he said and then quickly checked them in and sent them off with the bellman to their room.

On the way to the elevator, Eric placed his arm around Calleigh's waist and helped support her. She was flagging fast and he was a little worried that she had gone downhill so fast. The last few hours had held more activity than she had done in a week. "How's your breathing?"

"Good, I just suddenly got so tired. I guess you were right and we'll unpack and go to sleep," Calleigh admitted, leaning on him slightly.

They got on the elevator. "I'll unpack and you rest."

"Right," she replied.

They got off and followed the bellman. He stopped in front of 312, used a key card to unlock the door and began to unload the luggage. When he was done, Eric tipped him and he left.

Calleigh and Eric were stunned with the opulence of the room. Exhaustion temporarily forgotten, Calleigh went to the glass French doors. She opened them and salt air greeted her. "Eric, I think we have an ocean view."

"The concierge said H booked us a Peace of Mind package," Eric said, beginning to unpack first her things and then his.

"We have to find him something to say thank you for all of this. It's too much. This vacation has to be in the thousands. How can he afford all of this?" Calleigh asked, closing the doors and sitting on the king sized bed.

Eric tossed one of his shirts at her. "Well, it's not like he has anyone to actually spend it on. He has a beautiful house that he owns outright, property in the Keys which earns him some serious cash, and, shy of barely being married to Marisol, has never been married before or since. He could have a much more showy lifestyle, but you and I know that's just not him. You know the paycheck he pulls down because you know how much you pull down as his second. Calleigh, face it, as assistant supervisor of the day shift, you don't make all that much less than he does. You have a beautiful home that you almost own, and it's in Bal Harbor. You don't live extravagantly. Not that I want to know, but what does your financial statement look like? H can afford this. Cal, short of Yelina and Ray Jr and Kyle, we're all the family he really has. He didn't say the exact words that he loves us, but it was clearly implied when he handed me this envelope with everything in it. Hey, change into the shirt."

Calleigh had been listening to him intently and thinking about everything he said and knew he was right. Horatio was her elder brother and mentor. She practically hero worshiped him when she first joined the lab. For a while, she even had a bit of a crush on him...and then she met Eric and, really, all bets were off. "The shirt? Where are my pyjamas?"

"I didn't pack any since you steal my shirts so much anyway. I did pack you a couple of bathing suits, though," Eric said, beginning to remove his own clothes as Calleigh began shedding hers. "Tank tops, shorts and a couple of skirts, underwear, shoes that I know you love and all the stuff I've seen you use from the bathroom. And, I was sensible. Just because you've been given clearance to get your heart rate up doesn't mean we're doing anything too vigorous because I don't want you to have to be rushed to a hospital here."

She shrugged his shirt on and buttoned enough buttons that it would stay on and be comfortable. She was perilously close to tears..'What have I ever done to deserve you in my life? You've been so tender and loving through all of this. I'm so sorry I've put you through it. When Ryan and I pulled up to that house and I saw Patrick struggling to live in that window, I just reacted. I never thought...and I didn't want-"

Eric saw where her emotions were heading and he sat next to her and took her in his arms. "No, don't go there, Cal. You're too tired. I don't know what you did to deserve me, but you're stuck with me. Are you getting tired?"

"Yeah," she said, her voice rough with unshed tears.

He took her hands in his and lead her to the head of the bed, which the staff had already turned down for the night. "Then climb in." She complied and slid into the blissfully comfortable bed. He climbed in on the other side and he took her in his arms, kissing her softly. "Go to sleep."

He needn't have have said so because she was more than halfway there already.

Eric awoke and reached over for Calleigh and found her side of the bed empty and the sheets cool. He sat up. "Calleigh?"

When there was no answer, he began to fear the worst. He threw off the covers and went into the bathroom to check on her. She wasn't there. He didn't think she'd left the room without leaving him a note. Returning to the bedroom, he happened to glance out the French doors and caught a glimpse of Calleigh's bare foot poking out from one of the lounge chairs.

Eric went to the doors and opened them. Calleigh was curled up on the chair with her robe wrapped around her. She was apparently dozing in the dawn sunlight. He bent down, brushing hair out of her face. "Querida, what are you doing out here?"

She opened her eyes and gave him a small smile. "Sorry. I woke up a while ago and couldn't get back to sleep. I figured that I'd come out here and watch the sunrise. I didn't mean to worry you."

Eric scooted her over and slid onto the lounger with her, He wrapped one arm around her and pulled her close. "I know you didn't. How are you feeling?"

Calleigh considered for a moment before answering. "Nauseous and lethargic, but I didn't sleep all that well."

"Well, why don't we go back to bed for a while and see if you feel better later?" Eric suggested.

"We're in Puerto Rico on an amazing vacation and I don't want to ruin it and waste Horatio's generosity by sleeping in the hotel all day," Calleigh objected.

"Remember that you still have to watch yourself first. There are no rules, here, Querida. There's plenty of time when you get up to do something," Eric reminded her, getting up and tugging her along with him. "Lots of something, but you need to get a few hours of sleep first. I'll make you a little peppermint tea and then we'll both lay down for a few hours."

Chastened, Calleigh allowed him to lead her back to the bed. She climbed in and watched him make her tea. "What if I feel worse when we get up?" Calleigh said softly when Eric handed her to cup of tea.

"Then we stay right here, put the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door and you allow me to take care of you. Horatio knew that you might have a bad day or two and he still wanted to do this. Besides, right now, spending a quiet morning cuddling with you isn't a waste of anything," Eric said as he got in as well and put his arm around her.

Calleigh nodded and drank her tea, eyes beginning to get heavy. When she was finished, Eric took the cup and placed it on the bedside table, then pulled her to him and slid down beneath the blankets, stroking her hair. He made soothing sounds at her until she fell asleep. "Sleep well, Carina."

Calleigh woke several hours later and looked over at the clock on the nightstand. 10:15. She lay still. Listening to her body. She felt well rested and was no longer nauseous. She began placing light kisses over Eric's face, attempting to wake him in the most pleasant manner possible.

"Eric," she breathed into his ear before nibbling on his lobe. She slid her hand under his shirt and began toying with his chest. He smiled in his sleep."C'mon, Eric, I'm feeling better."

His smile widened. "I can tell." He directed her lips to his. He had to tell himself not to get too excited because they still couldn't be too vigorous yet.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked when they parted lips.

"Long enough to know that you're ready to get up and do something. Do you really feel better?" he asked carefully.

"Yeah, the nap and the tea and being with you did the trick," she said as she snuggled back up to him.

Eric chuckled softly. "You know a few years ago if anyone told me that you are a cuddler, I'd have laughed. Face it, Cal, no one at the lab would think of it."

"What, am I not lovable?" she asked playfully.

"Adorable...but very intimidating when you're firing a 357 Magnum. Some of the most grizzled guys in P.D. are intimidated by you," he said, dropping a kiss to the top of he head.

She returned the laugh. "Only because I can out shoot them any day."

Eric shifted and sat up, sliding out from under Calleigh. "Let's call room service and have some breakfast sent up.. I know you're going to say that you aren't hungry and we both know that's the meds talking. Take a look at the menu and see if anything hits you."

"You're right, I'm not hungry, but I need to eat," Calleigh said, beginning to peruse the menu. Nothing seemed likely until she hit something she didn't expect to find on a hotel menu in Puerto Rico. "I want the lox and bagel plate."

Eric laughed. "Calleigh, we're in Puerto Rico!"

"I know and I'll sample the local fare later. This just sounds really good right now," Calleigh cried. She started to laugh. "Then you take me somewhere local for dinner and show me good Puerto Rican food!"

"Deal."


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: Again, thanks for all your kind reviews. They really keep me going. For calleigh16, yes, there'll be some fluff. WierdMinder, I like the idea about Calleigh. I just might do that. I need more ideas to help fill the weekend.

Additional author's note: Calleigh16...you got your fluff wish. Wasn't intending on it in this chapter, but it just happened.

_**Recuperating**_

_**chapter 3**_

Breakfast over, the changed into their swimsuits and headed off to the pool. Eric looked down at Calleigh in her emerald green cut out one piece. Though it wasn't a revealing suit on her, it was his favorite. He loved the way that it made Calleigh's eyes all the greener. "Remember, no speed laps, just playing around."

"I promise," she said, entwining her fingers with his and smiling up at him.

They exited the huge doors to the pool and jacuzzi area and was assailed by the sound of what must have been part of the childrens' supervised swim time. As the pool finally came into view, they could see at least thirty kids, all between five and 12 years old and they were currently having water willy wars in the shallow end.

"Looks like a small change of plans," Eric said.

"We can still get in," Calleigh said, checking out the other end of the pool. "We can swim in the deep end. There's hardly anyone there."

Eric looked over at the deep end. "I don't want you over taxing yourself by swimming too much."

"You know that hydrotherapy is part of my therapy. I'm in a pool and I do get to swim," Calleigh reminded him. "I won't do more than I would with my therapist."

Eric knew she was right, but he couldn't help but worry a little. "Alright, you're right. I just don't want to have you regretting anything or feeling bad later today."

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "I know."

They shed their sandals and Eric jumped in and then held his arms out for Calleigh to slide in. She slipped into his waiting arms, capturing his lips once more before she found herself dunked under water. She came up spluttering.

"Eric! What happened to not getting my heart rate up too much?" she cried in mock horror.

He tried to stop laughing. "You're fine. Come on, a nice slow swim. We can swim the width."

"No," she said, hanging onto the side so she didn't have to tread water. "I want a real kiss with no dunk this time or I'm not swimming."

"You're a brat, you know that?" Eric laughed and swam to her side. He pulled her into his arms kissing her almost chastely until she became aggressive, parting her lips, sliding her tongue over his, begging entrance. He pulled away. "Nope. There are children present. Now you wanted to swim?"

With a pout, she pushed off from the ledge and did a lazy breast stroke the entire width of the pool, then she rolled onto her back and backstroked back over to Eric. She could feel her heart rate go up and it was slightly more difficult to breathe.

Eric could see that she was breathing a little labored. "You okay?"

"Yeah., just got my heart going a little. I'm fine. This happens during therapy. Why don't you dazzle me with your skills, Diverman?" she said playfully. Calleigh leaned back against the ledge and watched, with great appreciation, Eric's muscles played and rippled under his tanned skin as he swam. She felt better than she had in a few days. She pushed off again and swam lazily across the pool, passing Eric on the way. Like the last time, she rolled onto her back and backstroked to where she began. She grabbed the side of the pool and came upright.

"You're looking good, Calleigh. Your strokes are nice and even. How do you feel?" Eric complimented.

"Great. But I think I'd rather relax in the jacuzzi; less population," Calleigh said, lifting herself up and onto the side of the pool. "Care to join me?"

Eric watched as she stood and seductively made her way over to the large jacuzzi, which was partially obscured by a beautiful mosaic wall. He chuckled to himself, rose out of the water and followed her. When he caught up, she was already in the jacuzzi and reclining against the aqua blue tiles. "You didn't wait for me."

"Not my fault you're too slow," she purred at him. Her voice was low and seductive. "Come on in; the water is fine."

With a wide grin, Eric slid in next to her. To tell the truth, he was more than glad that she was beginning to show some of her old sass again. She'd been so sad and weak for so long that he wondered if she'd ever come back to herself. He feared it all the more that very morning when she was so ill. She apparently had bounced back nicely, but he was reluctant to push it. They had just gotten the permission to be physical again, yet he was afraid to do anything about it, fearing that she'd end up in a bad way. "The water is fine."

Calleigh scooted closer to him and teasingly ran her hand across his chest, making his muscles jump. "The children can't see us here."

Eric stroked her wet hair. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Maybe," she purred before beginning to place light kisses over his chest and shoulders. She nuzzled his neck and felt the hitch in his breathing. "Is it working?"

Her breath vibrating against his skin sent shivers down his spine. As much as he wanted, craved for it to continue, he gently pushed away from her. "Yes, it's working, but not now."

A hurt look crossed her lovely features. "Why?" Her voice trembled as she spoke.

"No, Cal, I didn't mean it like that." He took her in his arms. "It's too public here and if you went much further I wouldn't be able to get out of the water. Besides, I don't want to rush you. Just because we finally have permission doesn't mean we have to until you're better."

Calleigh lay against him for a while, saying nothing, trying to find the right words for what she wanted to say. Her voice was so soft that he could barely hear it above the bubbling of the jacuzzi. "Eric, it's been three months since we could be intimate and while I just couldn't even think about it for the longest time, it's been on my mind and...well, you could take care of your needs when you needed to; I couldn't. I couldn't get my heart rate up enough even for that. And as I got better, it's been on my mind more and more and I think that if I can't have you make love to me I just might explode."

"But this morning you were so sick. I don't want to do anything to-"

"Eric, I'm not feeling sick now. I love that you're so careful with me and have taken such good care of me, but we have permission and I am more than ready," she punctuated her words with a searingly passionate kiss, making certain her hand slid under the water, caressing him intimately. She felt him tremble beneath her hand. She pulled back from him and looked him in the eyes, hers flashing green. "I'm ready."

Eric was in turmoil. His body responded very willingly to her touch, but fear of setting her back was strong. "Cal, I don't want to hurt you."

Her voice was choked with emotion. "You won't. Eric, I need you so badly that I ache. Please."

Eric vowed to himself to be slow, gentle and deliberate. "Let's go," he said, tugging her hand. Together, they rose out of the jacuzzi, wrapped the provided towels around themselves and made their way back to their room, sharing cuddling and kisses the whole way. Any onlooker would have believed them to be a honeymooning couple. It was apparent that they couldn't keep their hands off of each other, but both studiously avoided touching anything inappropriate while in public.

Calleigh pushed Eric through their door and let it glide shut behind them. Lips not parting for more than a few moments, they both shed their bathing suits, tumbling onto the bed. Eric pulled back, hand fumbling on the nightstand for a moment before he grasped what he was questing for. He handed her her inhaler. "Take it."

Her breath already rapid, she used the device and handed it back to him. He tossed it on the nightstand and captured her lips in a searing kiss that broke only to trail down her chin to her neck. He stopped to suckle at the sensitive flesh for a moment, being rewarded with a moan of pleasure, before moving to her shoulder. He couldn't help himself. He nibbled and laved her soft skin ans she wriggled beneath him. He slowly, painstakingly traveled lower onto the swell of her breast. He carefully and deliberately kissed gentle circles all around the swell, studiously avoiding the hardened tip.

"Eric, please,' Calleigh gasped, trying to guide his head to where she wanted him.

He brushed her hands away. "All in good time," he breathed against her skin, sending shivers through her body. He continued his slow, teasing spiral until he could feel her tremble beneath him. Glancing up once to make certain she was alright, he finally allowed his lips to close over her nipple and he took it gently into his mouth. He was rewarded with a cry as she arched her back. He suckled a little harder and felt her hands on the back of his head in an attempt to hold him there. Giving that nipple a final roll with his tongue, he let it go with a gentle pop and began kissing his way over to the other breast, repeating the teasing spirals until she was positively quaking beneath him. She let out a low cry as he began lavishing attention to that nipple. Not wishing the other to be jealous, he brought his hand up and began to roll the other beneath his sensitive fingers, sending her squirming, whimpering beneath him.

"Eric," she whimpered.

He knew what she wanted, but, despite making her squirm with delight, he still kept in mind to be cautious and go gently. "You okay?" he asked, lips leaving her breast as his fingers continued to tease her other nipple.

"Yes," she gasped, breathing rapid, heart pounding, but feeling exquisite nonetheless. "Keep going."

He kissed his way down her abdomen, feeling her taught stomach muscles flutter beneath his lips. He kissed the petal soft skin of her thighs as her legs parted all of their own will. He could see that she was more than ready. Kissing his way back up her abdomen, he snaked one gently hand down her side to slip beneath her folds as he captured her mouth with his. Her kiss was hungry, aggressive. She moaned into his mouth as his fingers found her pearl and he rolled his thumb over it in a tantalizing rhythm before his slipped two fingers inside, moving them in time with his thumb. She arched her back, questing for firmer contact.

She broke away from his kiss. "Stop teasing."

"I'm not teasing," he said as he increased the pressure and rhythm. He recaptured her lips, briefly, before kissing his way back down to her breasts. He laved, nipped and suckled. He could feel her vibrate, on the edge. With one good firm roll of both her pearl and nipple, she stiffened, trembling, crying out her release before collapsing in a shivering puddle.

"Are you still alright?" he asked, carefully scanning her for any signs of distress.

She reached up and cupped his head in both hands, bringing him down for a brief kiss. "No. You weren't with me. Together now."

"I don't want-"

"Sh-h-h-h, it'll be fine. I want you with me this time," she whispered, hands caressing his chest down to his stiffened member. "You need release, too, and I'm alright."

"You can-"

"Yes."

He brought his lips down and kissed her gently as her hands moved over his chest and back, stroking, teasing, nails scratching lightly in the way that drove him crazy with desire. He was at his breaking point in his self control. He slipped his hand between her slick folds and found that she, was, indeed, ready again. With the utmost of care, he slid himself inside her, encouraged by the sigh of pleasure she let out at the sensation. Straining to be gentle he began to move, slipping one hand down to roll her still extremely sensitive pearl. She cried out and wrapped her legs around his hips and moved in perfect thymine with him. Her nails scratched harder, drawing him further to the brink and then suddenly she cried out with her release, walls clenching rhythmically around him, sending him spiraling over the edge with her. He rolled off of her and out of her, both breathing hard, covered in sweat. He pulled her into his arms.

"How are you?" he asked, feeling the pounding of her heart against his chest and the rapid breathing against his skin.

"Happy," she murmured.

"No, your heart and lungs; are you alright?" he asked.

She snuggled up to him, entwining her legs with his, fingers drawing lazy patterns on his chest. "I'm fine. I can breathe just fine," she said before placing a kiss on his chest. "I don't want to move, though. I just want to lay here with you."

Eric smiled, kissing the top of her still wet hair. "Good, me either. Laying here sounds good."

"Mmm-hmm," she murmured sleepily.

Eric yawned once."Are you falling asleep on me?"

"Hmmm."

He knew she was already almost asleep. He closed his eyes and drifted off with her.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's note: I need more suggestions because as of now I only have one more chapter in the works and it is only "Friday". And thanks, of course for all the kind reviews.**_

_**Recuperating**_

_**chapter 4**_

After their gentle lovemaking, the couple slept for a few hours. Eric was first to awaken. After gazing upon Calleigh's peaceful features as she slept for as long as he could stand without wanting wake her, he carefully slid himself from out under her and made his way into the bathroom for a shower. When he had finished, he expected her to already be awake, but to his surprise, she was still sleeping soundly. He began to worry that between the swimming and the lovemaking, their first since she had been hospitalized after the fire, might have been too much for her and depleted her very finite store of energy. He was torn; should he let her sleep or attempt to wake her and see if she was alright? While he struggled with the decision, he took out his cell and moved off to the balcony, shutting the doors behind him. He dialed a familiar number.

"Juan, hey, it's Eric. Can I make a tentative reservation for tonight about 7?"Eric asked.

Juan's voice was jovial. "Eric! Que pasa? Why do you need a tentative reservation? It's just you. I can always find a spot for you."

"Juan, it's not that easy this trip. I'm not alone this time. I have my girlfriend with me. She's never been to Puerto Rico before and I really want her to see what I see. The problem is, is that she's recuperating from a severe illness and I'm not sure she'll be up to the ride this evening," Eric explained.

"I see the problem. I will save a table for two unless you call and tell me no," Juan said. "You must be serious with this one. You've never brought a lady with you before. You've always had a way with the locals."

"Yeah, we're definitely exclusive," Eric said with a small smile. "So, possibly see you at seven?"

"There'll be a table," Juan assured him.

"Good." Eric said and then hung up. He watched through the glass doors as Calleigh rolled over, one hand questing for him. He went back in and returned to the bed, allowing her to find him. She made a small sound and cuddled closer to him. He allowed himself to slide back down and gather her in his arms.

She opened her sleepy eyes and smiled at him. "Hi."

"Hi back," he replied, smiling back at her. "How are you feeling?"

She was silent for a moment, listening to her body. "I'm good."

"You're not too tired? You aren't nauseous or anything?"

"No. Eric, I feel wonderful. Thank you." Calleigh said softly as a light blush painted her cheeks.

He hugged her, placing a kiss on the top of her head. "Good. I was a little worried that it might have been too much for you. Do you have enough energy for me to take you out to dinner?"

"Yeah," she sighed, stretching a little before snuggling back up to him. "Where are we going?"

"El Pueblo del Chicharron. It's one of my favorite places here. It's a taxi ride, but the food is fantastic. You have to try the mofongo," he said with enthusiasm. "But you're going to have to get out of bed for that to happen."

Calleigh made a small sound of displeasure, but rolled off him anyway. "Fine, then I'll just take a shower. So, what's the dress code for this place you're taking me to?"

"Will you let me choose? After all, I did pack all your things," Eric said.

She arched her eyebrows at the offer. Interesting. "As long as it goes together."

"Promise."

With that she entered the bathroom, pleased to see that her toiletries were all laid out, her shampoo, conditioner and soap were already waiting for her. Eric had always been terribly thoughtful when it came to her, especially, ever since they had met, in fact. She turned on the shower, setting the temperature and began to wash herself, luxuriating in the scent and the creamy lather of both her soap and shampoo. She was still in an euphoric state from her and Eric's lovemaking, her senses heightened for the first time in months. She began to sing softly to herself as she rinsed off her hair. She turned off the water, dried herself off and completed her regular skin routine before paying any attention to her hair. It was a rat's nest of tangles, but she soon smoothed it all out and drew the front back, securing it with a barrette. Calleigh put the finishing touches on her make-up and wrapped the towel back around herself and stepped back into the room. Eric was out on the balcony on his cell and she saw that he laid out her bright yellow tank top with her turquoise broomstick skirt, underwear and white ballet flats. Again she raised an eyebrow before dropping the towel and getting dressed.

She was just sliding her feet into her shoes when Eric returned. He smiled at her appearance. "You're beautiful, you know that?"

She smiled at him. "So you tell me. You look pretty handsome yourself," she said, taking in what he was wearing. He had a pair of dark blue jeans and a pale pink striped button down shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The pale pink made his tan skin glow.

"You'd better take your meds before we go. The taxi will be here in ten minutes."

Calleigh's eyes dimmed a little as she went to the bedside table and took the few pills Eric had pulled out for her. "Thanks."

"What's wrong?"

She heaved a loaded sigh. "I just...I just forgot that I'm still recovering and I felt normal, like me again. It was good."

Eric sat next to her on the bed. "Querida, I didn't mean to make you feel bad, but you know you have to take your meds twice a day."

She nodded. "I know or else I'll end up back in the hospital. It just-"

Eric put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry you had to be reminded when you're having such a stellar day. Come on and let's see if dinner and maybe a walk on the beach can make you forget again."

She nodded and rose. "Yeah."

Eric stood with her, giving her a small kiss on the nose, which made her smile. "The taxi should be here by now. Let's go."

They made their way down to the lobby and, just as Eric had said, their taxi was waiting for them. They stepped out into the early tropical evening, the scent of jasmine floating to them on the breeze. A valet held the door for the both of them and then they were off, Eric telling the cab driver where they were going. Eric watched Calleigh's face as she took in the city, delight making her eyes the brightest emerald he'd ever seen. He could already tell that she was feeling better about being reminded of her illness. He put his arm around her and drew her over to him.

"Feeling better?" he asked, nuzzling her freshly washed hair. The scent of her shampoo drove him wild.

She smiled. "Yeah. I just can't get upset when I have to take my medication. It's for my own good and I know that. I'm better now, though."

"Good. I hate seeing you sad," Eric said as they came to a stop in front of the restaurant. He paid the driver and then got out and went to Calleigh's side and helped her out of the taxi before guiding her inside.

The interior of the restaurant wasn't extravagant or impressive, but cozy and homey and Calleigh immediately felt at home. A medium height man with tan skin and jet black hair and eyes approached them.

"Eric, so good to see you again, amigo!" Juan cried, shaking Eric's hand. "So this is your special lady. Muy bonita."

"Juan Morales, this is Calleigh Duquesne," Eric introduced, delighting in the pink tinge that painted Calleigh's cheeks from Juan's compliment.

Juan started leading them outside to a table overlooking a beautiful garden. "Table for two. I'll send Ilse over with two menus." He held the chair for Calleigh as Eric seated himself.

"Thanks, Juan," Eric said as Juan moved off, calling to Ilse as he went. "So, what do you think?"

"It's nice; it's very comfortable and Juan is charming," Calleigh said as Ilse stopped by the table. She was about Calleigh's height with caramel skin and long, thick, black hair that was held back by a brightly colored ribbon.

"Hola, Eric," Ilse smiled, "Good to see you again."

"Hi, Ilse, this is my girlfriend, Calleigh," Eric introduced.

"Ah, the one Juan said would be coming tonight. Hola, Calleigh; welcome to Puerto Rico," Ilse said, laying their menus down. "If you need any translation-"

"I'm fluent, but thank you. Not everyone would offer the help," Calleigh said politely, opening the menu and taking a quick look at the contents. "There's a lot here."

"Juan likes to provide much variety."

"And I'm sure everything is fantastic," Calleigh said with a smile.

Ilse found herself returning the smile. So this was the one that finally caught Eric. "I'll let you have some time."

Calleigh waited until Ilse moved far enough away. "So you two have a history."

Eric choked on his mouthful of water. "What?"

"Oh, come on, Eric. I know the look. She was sizing me up to see if I was good enough for you," Calleigh said calmly, looking at her menu. She had no idea what to order. "I apparently passed. How close are you?"

"Cal, that was before you and me. Ilse is a friend," Eric said quickly. Sometimes Calleigh's mood could be mercurial, even more so since the fire. "We used to see each other when I came here, but it was never anything more than casual. She's a nice girl."

"Did I just make you sweat?" Calleigh asked sweetly.

"That was payback for Terrence the horse guy, wasn't it?" Eric asked.

Calleigh grinned impishly. "Yep."

"You're terrible," Eric muttered, but couldn't help the corners of his mouth from turning upward just a little.

Calleigh sighed. "There's just so much here that I don't know what to order."

"Do you want me to order for you? I've practically eaten my way through the entire menu," Eric offered.

"Yes, please.'

Eric looked over at the menu and quickly chose for Calleigh. He already knew what he wanted for himself. He discretely waved Ilse over. "We're ready to order. We'll share a mofongo and then she'll have a cup of Arroz con Leche and Habichuelas Rapiditas I'll have Asopao de Granules con Boletas de Platano and Arroz con Chorizo y Garbanzos."

"Anything to drink?"

"I'll have my usual...uhm, Calleigh?" Eric asked.

"I'll have your house limeade, please," Calleigh said, glancing over the drinks menu.

Ilse nodded. "Muy bien. I'll put your orders in. I'll be back with your drinks and the mofongo in just a minute."

"Eric, that's a lot of food. I don't know if I'll be able to even finish a little of it," Calleigh said.

He reached across the table and held her hand. "Don't worry. It'll be so good that you won't waste anything. Besides, you haven't had anything but the lox and bagels for breakfast this morning. Even though you don't feel it, I bet you're starving."

She smiled softly, relishing her hand in Eric's much larger one. "I probably am." They were silent for a while, looking out over the garden in the early evening. Suddenly a soft, pleasant chorus of tiny peeps sang out from the garden. It was an absolutely enchanting sound. "What is that?" Calleigh asked with wonderment.

Eric pointed to a nearby bush. "See that little guy there? That's a coqui. They're all beginning their night songs. I love these little guys. They always sing me to sleep when I vacation here."

Calleigh followed Eric's finger to see a tiny brownish green frog sitting on a large leaf. "It's adorable. So he's really singing? Must be like the bullfrogs back in Louisiana. You hear them all night, yet they never open their mouths. I think I prefer the coqui."

Their attention was drawn to the food arriving. The large cup holding the strangest substance in it was placed between them. Calleigh looked at Eric.

"What is this?" she asked, accepting a spoon from him and sniffing at the substance appraising.

Eric gestured for her to dig in. "Mofongo. It's mashed plantain, pork and other things. You'll like it."

She took a small amount onto her spoon and hesitantly brought it to her mouth. She chewed carefully, finding the pork and plantain pleasant, but just not...well maybe another bite. Soon she had eaten quite a bit and looked up at Eric's laughter. "What?"

"I told you you'd like it." Eric said as their soups were placed in front of them. Calleigh's was creamy and smelled like heaven. Eric dug right into his. "Go ahead. Arroz con Leche here is fantastic."

"Hey, isn't this considered baby food or something?" Calleigh asked, stirring the hot soup.

Eric swallowed. Had he just made a grand mistake? "Yeah, it can be, but it's also considered good old comfort food and is fed to those recuperating from illnesses because it's so nourishing."

"Oh." she replied and then began to eat the creamy soup. It reminded her of rice pudding, but it wasn't sweet. It was slightly salty and she soon discovered that she couldn't get enough of it.

Eric watched her devour the soup. "So I didn't screw up with my choice?"

"Not so far," Calleigh replied before looking back out at the darkening garden, looking for more coqui before it got too dark to see any. To her delight, one sat right on the railing that separated the restaurant from the garden. "Eric, look."

Eric pushed his own bowl away and looked to where Calleigh indicated. "Well you're a bold little guy, aren't you?" He grabbed a bit of pork from the bottom of the mofongo bowl and put it on the railing for the tiny frog.

The frog regarded the two giants with his big round eyes for a moment. He had been watching them for a while now and deemed that they were no threat. He had been lured closer by the good food smells and then one giant put something tantalizing right in front of him! With a swift snap of his tongue, the little coqui snatched the food from the railing. He chewed as thoughtfully as a frog could chew and then hopped off.

Calleigh chuckled. "Well, that's probably it for his hunt tonight."

Ilse stopped at the table. "Here you go. Has everything been alright so far?"

"Delicious, thank you," Calleigh replied, eying her new dish. It was some sort of bean stew over rice and it smelled incredible.

"Is there anything else I can get for you?"

Eric smiled up at her. "Tell Marcos that I said "Thank You" because this is the most I've been able to get her to eat since...since she got sick."

Ilse winked and her earlier supposition that this was the one for Eric was confirmed. "Si."

By the time Eric had turned his attention back to Calleigh she had already begun to eat her dish. "How is it?"

She paused in scooping up a forkful. She smiled coyly and held it out to him. "Why don't you give it a try?"

Eric grinned at her playfulness. She never was this openly affectionate and flirty when they were home. It had become a habit of hiding their affection for each other lately because of Rick Stetler. He had it in for the Lab and even though their friends knew, no one even breathed a word outside that group. "Don't mind if I do."

Calleigh watched as he leaned over and removed the food, in a very sensual way, she thought, from her fork. "Like it?"

"More than it. You know, it's no fair that I taste from your plate without letting you taste from mine," Eric teased back, his voice enough to send shivers down Calleigh's back. He held his fork out for her.

She leaned across the table and made a deliberate act of taking the food from the fork. And that was the beginning of their entire meal being a complete seduction of each other. They spent the entire meal in their own little world and they liked it there.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Recuperating**_

_**Chapter 5**_

Eric played with Calleigh's fingers as they walked down the expanse of beach just outside the hotel. He watched the moonlight dance across her pale gold locks as the breeze lifted a few strands to play with them.

Calleigh glanced up at him, feeling his eyes on her. "What?"

Eric shook his head. "Nothing."

"No, tell me," she insisted, stopping them.

"I...I just...well...I'm glad that you're going to be alright. I went nuts when Horatio called and my flight from Tampa couldn't be fast enough. I almost lost you and now, here we are, having a romantic getaway and I feel like the luckiest man on earth right now," he said with stark honesty.

He took her in his arms and held her in a way that she'd never been held before. She felt treasured beyond all reason and that was something that she had never felt, not once, in her entire life. Tears rose to her eyes from the sensation. She sniffled once, twice.

Eric put a finger beneath her chin and raised her face so he could look into her eyes. "Querida, what is it?"

She sniffled again, eyes shining with tears. There was no sadness or pain there, but joy, sheer and utter joy. "Eric, you make me so happy." She buried her face in his chest and hugged him tighter. Her voice was muffled, "I've never felt the way I feel when I'm with you. I've never felt so treasured. Never. Not Jake, not John, not even...never. I'm so glad you brought us here. This has been like a dream and I don't want it to end."

He laid his cheek on top of her head. "It doesn't have to end. It's just going to have to move back with us to Miami."

She chuckled at the thought. "But what are our friends going to do with us because I don't want it to go back to the way it was. If we want to go out, I want to be able to hold your hand and kiss you on the dance floor, not save it for home and then hoard those minutes until we explode. I don't want to hide it anymore."

"Querida, neither do I but we have to keep our eyes on Stetler. But, if we're out with our friends, or just by ourselves, then let's keep this side of us. There's no shame in showing the world how we feel about each other. I want to hold your hand and kiss you on the dance floor. That's what couples do. That's what we're going to do."

"Good," she said, placing one hand behind his head, pulling him down for a long, lazy kiss. Once they broke apart, she rested her head on his chest, leaning into him.

"You're getting tired, aren't you?" Eric asked, supporting her as they walked back to the hotel.

"Yeah. It just hit me all of a sudden," she said, leaning on him.

Eric lifted her in his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder, giving very little protest. "It's been a long day for you. Close your eyes. I'll put you on your feet when we get to the hotel."

She nodded and let him carry her the rest of the way. He set her gently on her feet, before encircling her waist and assisting her back to the room. She was out like a light the minute her head hit the pillow.

x-x-x-x

"_Here, put this over your mouth," Ryan said as he handed her his handkerchief._

_Throwing caution to the wind because she saw that boy in the upstairs window, she and Ryan burst into the burning house and began searching for him, an MDPD officer trailing in the two CSI's wake. Calleigh ran upstairs and tried door after door until she found the right one. The knob was hot and hurt her hand. Coughing, she kicked it open and recoiled quickly as a small fireball erupted from the room. Once it cleared, she peered inside, seeing the boy motionless on the floor._

"_Ryan, he's in here!" she called and went inside the burning room to try to rouse the boy. She felt for a pulse. It was weak and thready. They had to get him out of there. They had to get out of there. She helped Ryan get the boy on his shoulders. She went to take a step after him, but her legs buckled beneath her, another small fireball nearly singing her eyebrows._

_Then the coughing started in earnest and she couldn't stop. She tried to call out to Ryan, but couldn't draw enough breath to shout his name over the thunderous crackle of the flames. The MDPD officer came to her aid, but as they walked out of the room, the floor beneath them collapsed and they fell a full story to the rubble below. This time there was no Horatio and no brave fireman to help. She struggled to free the officer from the rubble but she couldn't and soon the coughing became too much. She couldn't breathe at all. She couldn't draw a breath. She struggled and struggled and-_

Sat completely upright in bed, sobbing, gasping for air. Suddenly the bedside lamp went on and Eric was there, holding her, reaching for her inhaler and helping her take it before enfolding her in his safe, secure arms once more. She was trembling violently and she held onto him with a vice-like grip and that said more than words to him. She had had a terrifying nightmare. She clung to him as if he was the only thing keeping her safe from her nightmare.

Eric soothed and petted and spoke softly to her. He knew she didn't hear a thing because she wept inconsolably. She had tried to speak, but only strangled insensible syllables came out, which served only to make her more upset. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage and she was terrified that it would burst.

"Babe, you have to calm down. You're safe. We're here in Puerto Rico and there's no fire anywhere," Eric told her, holding her by the shoulders and shaking her slightly to jar her back into the present.

She wouldn't budge from her terrorized state and fought him until finally clutching at her chest, eyes widening. "Eric, my heart!"

After checking her pulse for anomalies, he said calmly, "It's a panic attack, Querida. That's why your chest hurts. You need to listen to me. Try to take steady, even breaths. I won't let go of you, I promise."

Calleigh tried, but the pain in her chest wouldn't let her get enough air. "I can't," she sobbed.

Eric drew her back in against him. "Yes, you can. Keep trying. Nothing bad is going to happen. I'm right here. Remember, you had one of these when you were still in the hospital. The doctor told you to take steady, even breaths to bring your heart rate back down.."

She stiffened. "I'm going to be sick!"

Eric acted quickly and scooped her up in his arms and shot off the bed, getting her into the bathroom just as she started to retch. He held her while she emptied the contents of her stomach. He didn't think that it would have been possible, but she shook even harder. They sat on the bathroom floor until Calleigh was certain that she wasn't going to throw up anymore. He carefully and gently assisted her back into the bedroom.

"I don't want to get in the bed," she stated. "I'm not ready. Can we sit on the balcony for a while?"

Relieved that she was no longer shaking and crying and terrified, he guided her to the doors and snuggled next to her in the double wide lounger. "Better?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Good. Tell me about it." he urged.

Calleigh hung her head. Her voice was very soft as she spoke. "It was the fire. Ryan and I ran in and everything went the way it really did until Officer Montoya and I fell through the floor. No firemen came to help and Horatio was nowhere to be seen. The fire just kept growing. Eric, I could feel the heat on my skin. I started coughing and I couldn't stop. I couldn't draw any air into my lungs. I couldn't call out for help. I couldn't breathe...then I woke up and I didn't know where I was or why I couldn't breathe. Then you were holding me and I couldn't believe it. I was still half inside the dream."

"I thought so because you couldn't calm down at all. I had to shake you pretty hard before you snapped out of it," Eric said, pulling her closer in the cool midnight air. He gently rubbed her stomach. "How's your tummy?"

"Queasy. But I don't think I have anything left to throw up in there." she admitted.

Eric felt her shiver in his arms. Though it wasn't cold, the air was cool and the breeze was just shy of brisk. "You're cold. We should go in."

"No, no, I don't want to go back in there yet. I'm afraid if I lay down in bed that it'll happen again. It was so terrifying. Please, can we stay out here?" she begged, suddenly frightened.

Unused to a frightened and timid Calleigh, Eric gave in immediately. The nightmare must have been horrific. "Alright, but let me get a blanket or something to cover us."

"Sure."

Eric rose and went back into the room, rooting through the drawers and then the closet, where he found a spare light blanket. He stopped at the phone for a moment before calling Room Service. "Hi, this is Room 312. Would it be a problem if we could have a bowl of chicken broth, a sleeve of soda crackers and ginger ale sent up?" He waited for the confirmation. "Great, thank you."

With that, Eric grabbed two pillows off the bed and went back outside. Calleigh had rolled onto her side and had a sad, far away look in hr eyes. "Hey, I found an extra blanket and I grabbed a couple of pillows off the bed. I also ordered you some room service. You lost everything in your stomach. You're probably queasy because of that."

Calleigh accepted the pillow from Eric and settled it beneath her head. She waited for him to settle in beside her, wrapping the big blanket around them both, before speaking. "Eric, what if I don't get better? What if this is it?"

"What? That's ridiculous. Calleigh, Dr. Goldflies said you'd make a complete recovery and that you'd just need to watch your lungs from time to time, like if you caught a cold or the flu. Don't you remember, he told you that once you recovered, he'd let you start running again and that you'd still be able to run in the MDPD marathon next spring? Babe, where is this coming from?" Eric asked, unsettled by Calleigh's sudden mood shift.

"I don't know. I mean, it's been so long since the fire. That was back in April and here we are in August and I still am not back yet. I'm still weak and need babysitting while you're at work. That the guys in the Lab give up one of their days off to stay with me is wonderful, but I feel like so much of a useless drain on everyone," Calleigh said miserably.

Eric held her tighter. "Calleigh, do you know that they all fight for the day to visit you? I'm serious. Jesse and Ryan nearly came to blows two weeks ago. They both had the same day off and Jesse hadn't seen you in a while and Ryan wanted another day over at our place just to hang out with you. Horatio made Ryan stand down. They all love you so much that it's not a burden, but a pleasure to come and help you out. Walter loves to take you to physical therapy and watch you work out. He says it makes him feel good that he's there to help you get strong again. Jesse said that he enjoys watching daytime television with you because you watch things he normally wouldn't. Apparently, you've been giving Ryan cooking lessons. Natalia loves the girls' days that you two have. Even Tripp loves spending the day with you. He loves the fact that you let him cook for you. Calleigh, you are no burden to anyone, least of all, me."

She was completely taken aback by the knowledge. She had no idea. "I-I didn't know. I just thought that...I don't know what I thought. I just feel like a huge burden sometimes and deep at night I'm afraid that this will be all I get back and that the doctors are wrong."

Eric kissed her softly. "You will get it all back, babe, and you know it. This is just the panic attack talking. Think about how weak you were in the hospital and now see how far you've come. Things will continue to improve, you'll see."

A knock came on the door. "That'll be room service with the tray I ordered for you," he said, slipping out from under her. "I'll be right back."

Calleigh stared out at the night and thought about what he had said. She had no reason to believe that things wouldn't eventually go back to normal, it was...just...so...very...very...slow. She was not used to long illnesses or long recovery periods so it was frustrating and upsetting her more than she let on. Calleigh Duquesne was strong, independent and capable; somebody that could take care of herself and anyone else around her. Now she felt feeble, weak and helpless and that was just not acceptable in her book. She turned as Eric came back out onto the balcony with a room service tray.

"I ordered some broth and crackers for you. I thought it might help settle your stomach," he said, placing the tray on the floor, scooped up the bowl of broth and the crackers. He carefully sat beside her and took the spoon.

"You are not going to feed me, Eric," she protested as he brought it to her lips.

"I most certainly am," he replied, spooning the broth into her mouth. He handed her the sleeve of crackers, already opened.

Calleigh took a cracker and swirled it in the broth, allowing it to soak some of the liquid up before eating it. Her stomach cramped. "Wait." She let out a soft whimper.

"No broth?"

She shook her head. "No broth. Not now, anyway."

He put the bowl back on the tray and scooted in next to her, putting his arm around her. "Then just eat the crackers and drink some ginger ale."

"I hate this." she whispered.

Eric's heart was breaking for her for the hundredth time since the fire. He held her closer, feeling her shake with unreleased tears. "I know. I can't imagine how hard this is on you. You're used to being independent. Remember, it isn't going to always be like this."

"Yeah," she sniffed.

Eric stroked her arm, letting his fingers trail soothingly. "Hey, what did we agree on when you get upset like this?"

"Don't try to be tough and hold it in."

"Then let it out," Eric said enfolding her in his arms as she broke down, sobbing quietly into his chest. "That's it; get it all out."

He held her, tears standing in his own eyes at her misery. When she suffered, he suffered. He stroked her hair, kissing her head as he did so. "Oh, mi carina, mi querida, I wish I could take your pain away," he breathed. He held her as if she was the most precious treasure in the world, and, to him, she was. He hadn't noticed a few stray tears slip from his own eyes. They trailed down his cheeks to mingle with Calleigh's.

Calming, she pulled away, looking up at him and was shocked to see him crying. "Oh, Eric, no, please don't," she said as she held his face, kissing the salty tears away. "Please don't; not over me."

He kissed her, tasting his own tears on her lips. "Do you even know how much you mean to me? I'd tell you exactly what that is, but it's not the time. I don't think I'm ready to say it and I don't think you're ready to hear it."

"I know what it is and I'm not ready, but, God, Eric, I don't know how to get through this without-"

Eric put a finger to her lips. "If I had been the one that got caught in the fire and I was the one in your position now, wouldn't your heart ache to see me struggle as I see you struggle? Yes, it hurts me to see you have such a hard time, but I wouldn't have it any other way, querida. I care enough to hurt with you and to not shy away from it and you. We will get through this together. I promise we will."

Calleigh buried herself in his warm, comforting embrace. "I don't deserve you."

"Yes, you do. You must have done something wrong sometime," Eric said lightly, trying to lift the mood. He felt Calleigh laugh into his chest. He picked up the discarded sleeve of crackers. "Babe, have a few of these. I know your tummy still can't be settled. I'll bet once you do, you'll feel better."

She took the sleeve from him, pulling out a cracker, contemplating it and everything that happened since she woke in abject terror. "Yeah, you're right. I probably will." She chewed on the cracker for a while before speaking. "I can't thank you enough for everything you've been doing for me. I can't."

"Calleigh, I hope that you never get the opportunity to pay in kind, ever. I'm so done with hospitals and head trauma and the like. I want us to be happy and healthy and grow...and be together for a long time."

"Me too," she said, eating steadily now. She shivered.

Eric reached down and drew the blanket over the two of them as they settled in for a quiet time. After a while the sleeve of crackers was almost empty and the ginger ale gone. Calleigh sighed, finally tired, completely exhausted from her emotional night. She snuggled into a sleeping Eric and fell into a peaceful slumber.

X-x-x-x

It was well into the morning when Eric woke, Calleigh still curled around him like some human sized cat. Her features were peaceful and untroubled as she slept. In fact, a slight smile curved the corners of her mouth in an unknown jest. He pushed the now too warm blanket off of himself, but left it covering Calleigh. Her internal thermometer had been seriously on the blink since the fire and he knew that it was due to her medication. It could be almost 100 degrees and she'd be shivering so hard her teeth would rattle. Then, at another time, it could be cool out and she would be insisting that it was far too hot. Erring on the side of caution, given how thoroughly she was wrapped around him, he left the blanket securely tucked around her while he luxuriated in the soft, warm Caribbean breeze. He gazed over at the almost private beach visible from their balcony. He watched the sun flash gold and white off the turquoise waves. A few pelicans flew in a lazy pattern overhead, knowing they'd be fed. Wild parakeets sang nearby, taking up from the coquis' night song. He was in Paradise and, despite the illness that still gripped the woman in his arms, content to share this wonderland with her.

He looked back down at her again. Her sleep was still weighing heavily on her and the sun was rising high and strong enough at this time of year to do damage to her sensitive and delicate skin. It was an effort, but he managed to maneuver himself so that he could pick Calleigh up and move her to the bed so she wouldn't awaken to a painful sunburn and a further screwing up of her internal temperature controls. He was exceedingly gentle as he slid her onto the bed, making certain that she was comfortable before laying himself down and falling back asleep.

X-x-x-x-x

Eric awoke to find Calleigh not snuggling up to him the way she normally did. He reached out to touch her side of the bed and found it empty. He sat up and looked out on the balcony and it was empty. Suddenly, a horrid retching sound had him out of the bed and kneeling beside Calleigh on the bathroom floor. "How long?"

"I don't know. It just...it won't stop. I have nothing left in me and still it won't-" Calleigh leaned over the toilet bowl again.

Eric rubbed her back soothingly and then got up and made her a cup of peppermint tea while calling down to Room Service for more soda crackers. They must have thought he was nuts, requesting just a couple of sleeves of soda crackers and ginger ale...an entire liter of it. He realized that he was hungry, but wanted to let Calleigh's stomach calm down first before bringing food smells into the room.

He sat down next to his miserable girlfriend and handed her the cup. "Here, this helped yesterday."

She took it with hands that shook badly. "Thanks."

"I'm so sorry this is happening to you," he said softly. He reached out and stroked her hair.

Calleigh closed her eyes at the comfort of his touch. "I'm ruining the vacation."

Eric's heart clenched. "No, baby, you're not. This part of your recovery. It happens. Don't beat yourself up about it."

"But-"

"No "buts", Calleigh. You're not ruining anything. This nausea will pass and you'll be fine in a few hours," Eric said, the air of knowledge giving him confidence as a knock came on the door. "That'll be Room Service. You stay here and finish the tea. I've ordered more crackers and ginger ale for you. Be patient, querida. It's not going to be for long."

Eric brought the tray in and sat on the floor with Calleigh until the nausea passed. She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"How do you feel now?" he asked, arm around her.

"Better," she replied softly. "So, what are we going to do today?"

"Rest. With the nightmare and the nausea a little while ago, I don't want to push you too hard. I think just hanging out at the pool and relaxing is all I want to do," Eric told her. "Why don't we get off the floor?"

"Yeah," Calleigh agreed, allowing Eric to give her a hand up from the floor."I just realized that while I've been eating crackers, that you haven't eaten yet. Why don't we get dressed and go to one of the restaurants in the hotel? How about the open air one?"

Sounds good and then we'll come back up and get into our suits and head on poolside," Eric agreed with a smile.

X-x-x-x-x

Once changed, they headed down to the open air restaurant. They were escorted to a lovely table for two and perused the menu, choosing their meals, rather a meal for Eric and just dry toast with a side of butter and jam and ginger ale for Calleigh. She wasn't about to tempt fate and try anything more adventurous.

Their food arrived and so did the parakeets.

"Be careful of the birds. They're horrible beggars," the waiter said. "They'll take the food right off your plates if you're not careful."

"Thanks for the advice," Eric said, then watched as Calleigh eyed her food warily. "It's not going to hurt you."

"I know, but I'm not sure if I should put anything on top of it. What if it sets the nausea off again? I can't wait to be off the medication," she said, finally taking a small bite of the dry toast. "Ugh, no flavor."

Eric chewed thoughtfully. "Well, jam is less upsetting than butter; just use a little bit. And you should be off most of the cocktail in a few weeks. It won't be long."

"Those weeks are going to feel like months, but at least the end is in sight," she said, smiling a bit at the pleasant sweetness of the jam. She broke off a small piece of toast and gave it to the nearest parakeet, a little green and yellow thing. It took the food right out of her hand. "Cute little thing."

"Careful, Calleigh. The waiter was right; these are little beggars. I've had it happen to me the last time I was here. I had to fight off almost a dozen of them and they tried to carry off whole portions bigger than they were," Eric cautioned. This was nothing like feeding the little coqui last night, these things were a Tipi Hedren nightmare.

Calleigh laughed. "I can't imagine. It must have been like The Birds."

Eric laughed a little, himself. "It was; it was a nightmare. What say we pay the bill and get into our suits?"

"That was the plan," she replied with a large smile on her face.

They paid the bill and went back to the room, once there, Eric turned to face her. "I have a request. I want to pick out your suit. I brought a few."

Calleigh gave him a quizzical look. "Alright, why?"

"Because we are going to be sunbathing and I want the sun to kiss as much of your lovely skin as possible," Eric said, taking her in his arms. "We haven't kissed good morning yet."

Her arms went around his waist. "You're right. What are you going to do about it?"

She was answered as he leaned down and captured her lips, kissing her chastely at first, but then his tongue begged entrance and she allowed him access and deepened the kiss. Almost reluctantly, he drew back with respect for her lungs. "Good morning."

With a wide smile and a satisfied sigh, she leaned her cheek against his chest. "It certainly is now," she purred.

"Can I pick out the suit?" Eric asked, running his hands up and down her back.

She could deny him nothing. "Okay."

Dropping another kiss to her lips, he went to the bureau and rummaged in a drawer for exactly what he wanted. He placed on the bed a royal purple string bikini; Eric's favorite.

"Why did I know it was going to be that one?" Calleigh commented with a smirk.

"You know why," Eric replied as he began to disrobe.

Shaking her head, Calleigh took her suit into the bathroom. After doing her business, she changed into the suit and arranged it the way she wanted it, then put up her heavy hair. Satisfied with her appearance, she went back into the bedroom where Eric was waiting with sunblock.

"What was all that?" he asked, clearly puzzled. "It's not like I haven't seen you in your birthday suit before...just yesterday, I believe."

"Wasn't modesty, just the call of nature," She replied, sliding her feet into her pool shoes. "Are we going or not?"

"You're sure eager to go sunbathe," Eric said, doing his best to keep his hands to himself.

Calleigh gave him a very wicked smile. "Well, if we don't go now, I'm going to be tempted to remove those trunks and we can't have you sunbathing in the nude. We wouldn't be able to leave the room."

Eric returned the wicked smile. "And, well, I was denied the pleasure of watching you put that bikini on..."

"Out the door; now. Playtime later," Calleigh teased, already opening the door.

"You are a tease," he said with a pout.

"And you love every minute of it."

x-x-x-x-x

They found themselves a less populated space near the jacuzzi, spread the sunblock on and laid on their respective chairs. The sun was hot, but not oppressively so, and they both let it soak into their souls, relaxing and letting the warmth of it burn away the nightmares and nausea of before.

Calleigh felt markedly better from that morning. The tea, crackers and ginger ale seemed to be just the thing to quell her body's reaction to the medication she was forced to take. She remembered back to the very beginning when they were proscribed and the almost constant nausea and vomiting that plagued her. It continued until the doctors were able to find the right dosage. Then it backed off a bit, but the bouts were brief, violent and very painful. Over the last month the doctor began to wean her off all the meds bit by bit and with that went the frequency of the bouts and she had even begun to get her appetite back a little. She counted herself fortunate that Eric and the rest of her friends that helped her out made her eat because she would have lost more than the few pounds she had. As it was, she was almost at her very thinnest, weighing slightly more than she did when Eric first joined the Lab. Thankfully, she thought enough to save the pants and jeans from then because she now wore them when she would venture outside. Calleigh wasn't stupid. As she and Eric walked to the pool in nothing but towels and bathing suits, she caught men of all ages turn to watch her as they walked by. There were numerous women that watched Eric as well. She was proud of her appearance and worked hard at it, but wasn't vain. She knew that both she and Eric made a handsome couple and it secretly delighted her to know that.

"Cal, I'm going to go and cool off in the pool; I'm baking," Eric said. "How are you doing?"

"Fantastic," she replied, squinting up at him. "Have fun."

With a wink, Eric got up and went to the water's edge and slid in. Calleigh sat up to watch him. She loved watching him swim, seeing the play of strong muscles under smooth tan skin. It thrilled her to watch his muscles ripple with strength and speed, knowing the gentleness of his caresses, the tenderness of his touch. With a sigh, she laid back down, relishing the warmth of the sun on parts of her that rarely saw sun at all. After a while, a female voice, dripping with seduction, drifted over to her from the pool.

"You're a great swimmer," the foreign voice said. It had a native Puerto Rican accent. A local, then.

Eric's voice was almost embarrassed. "Hey, thanks."

"Do you swim competitively?"

More embarrassment. "No, not anymore. It's part of my job, now."

"Lifeguard? Swim instructor?"

"Crime Scene Investigator in Miami. Sometimes there are crime scenes that are underwater. Miami is at sea level," Eric said, sounding slightly less embarrassed. Of course he was. He was talking shop.

"So, you're from Miami. What are you doing here in Puerto Rico?" the voice nearly purred and that got Calleigh's ire up. Someone was trying to make time with her man.

"Uhm, I'm on a short vacation-"

"Really?"

Calleigh had had it with the temptress' trespassing. She could hear the fact that Eric hadn't been able to finish his sentence and the moment made her blood boil. She trusted Eric completely. The other woman was clearly on the prowl. Despite her illness, she ramped up her charm and sexiness to full volume, sat up, went to the pool's edge, slipping and and swam full out to reach Eric and the Trespasser.

"Hey, carino, thought I'd join you," she purred as she slipped her arms around Eric in the most possessive manner she could possibly do. Her Southern accent dripped like warm honey. "I got a little hot over there."

She could hear the gratefulness in Eric's voice. He dipped his head to kiss her. "Querida, I thought you didn't want to swim today." He could feel her heart slam against her ribcage and he held her even more securely so she wouldn't have to tread water.

"I got too hot and decided to join you. Who's your friend?" Calleigh said sweetly.

"You know, we never exchanged names. I'm Eric and this is my girlfriend, Calleigh," Eric said, incredibly grateful for Calleigh's interference. "She's our Ballistics and Tool marks expert. "If it can be fired, she's dead on. She won the All Southern Law Enforcement Marksman's Competition four years in a row. She lost last year because D.C. was added and she lost to an NCIS agent. Turns out she was a former Mossad sniper."

"Hey, no shame there. That woman was beyond good. She was almost miraculous," Calleigh said. She really believed it. She couldn't remember the woman's name, but remembered the beauty of the shots. Fabulous. She hoped they'd meet up again. "So, uhm, still don't know your name, what do you do?"

"Kendall and I'm, uhm, an accountant," she said, sounding deflated.

While the woman was undeniably beautiful and tried to hook her man, Calleigh was not a cruel person. Being an accountant equaled nerd-ism and that sucked no matter where you were. "That's good. Our Forensic Accounting department brings down some serious mob-based criminals. Hey Al Capone was brought down by an accountant and he was one of the biggest of the Prohibition Era big bads. It's huge in Chicago Illinois history."

"Yeah?" Kendall asked. "How bad was he?"

"He was Italian mafia and killed more people than I care to imagine. He had the entire city in his grip and was brought low and sent to prison by a single accountant. Tax evasion was the charge. Can you imagine?' Calleigh shared, her grip still possessive on Eric.

"No, I can't, but thanks for a glimpse of hero worship," Kendall said, her voice no longer predatory. "Eric, I'm glad I met you and Calleigh. I'm busy tonight, but I'd love to take you two out to dinner and talk if you're staying a while."

"We're leaving Monday evening," Eric said. He was incredibly impressed by his girlfriend's handling of Kendall. It was amazingly cool and expert. He did not miss the deepening of Calleigh's accent, nor did he miss the ramp up in her sexual aura. He was rather turned on by it, in fact, despite the fact that she had been the rescuer.

"Maybe tomorrow night, then? I have an engagement tonight," Kendall said, all effort of luring Eric gone.

Calleigh beat Eric to the punch. "We're in 312. Call if you still want to go to dinner tomorrow."

"I will." With that, Kendall swam away, contemplating her minutes old new friends.

"Oh my God, Cal, thank you for the save," Eric said. "I didn't know a kind way out."

"I could hear that you were uncomfortable and figured you needed a rescue," Calleigh said. "Okay, truth time. This really wore me out. Can you help me back to the deck chair?"

"Do you want to call it an afternoon? Do you need to go back to the room?" he asked, concerned for her health.

"No, I just need to lay down a bit and need more lotion on my back so I can even the tan. You need more, too," she said, her voice strong, yet slightly tired.

"Alright, then, I'll get you there and we rub each other down," he said, assisting her out of the water and over to their chairs. She first re-coated him and then he did the same for her, hands telling her more thanks for the assist and her trust in him than any words could have. "We don't have to go to dinner with her, you know."

"I know, but she seems genuinely nice. I don't mind. If I fall asleep, you need to wake me up, alright?" Calleigh said, feeling very generous. Once she had established that she and Eric were together, Kendall had backed off quickly and seemed to be an interesting woman.

"I will. You burn and I can't touch you the way I want to," Eric said, seductively.

"Hey, I need to tan my back so stop that right now. There'll be time for that later," she said with mock horror.

"There'd better be."

_**Author's note: Really long chapter, eh? I couldn't find an easy breaking point so I let it dictate.**_

_**Okay kids, out of my own ideas and in the fic it's only Saturday afternoon. Gotta have a Sunday and Monday and then conclusion at home in Miami. I know how I want the last part to go, just not the next 48 hours. I've used up all the suggestions, save for more fluff, that you gave me. I'm stuck and heading back into work. Argh! Help me out, here.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Recuperating**_

_**chapter 6**_

Once they had deemed their time done over sunbathing, they returned to their room, showered and changed back into the clothing they had on to go and eat breakfast. Eric looked Calleigh up and down, liking what he saw. She had on a bright green tank top and tan shorts, giving him a much appreciated view of her long, toned, fit legs. The green of her top only served to accentuate the liquid green of her eyes.

"Have I told you that you're beautiful today?" Eric asked her.

"I believe you haven't said it, but you have made me feel it." Calleigh purred. "Have I told you that pink is the most sexy color on you? Your skin glows against it and it makes your eyes the most incredible chocolate color," Calleigh admitted. Eric was her world and she wanted him to know that all his amazing attentions since the fire were not taken for granted. "You are the most handsome of men on this island."

Eric's arms enfolded her. "You are the most sexy woman no matter where we are. I can't imagine my life without you."

"Me neither," Calleigh sighed against him.

"Are you okay?" he asked. He could tell that she was rather aroused already but he was reluctant to deplete her energy level. She was still at about half power at the best of times and she had a major setback earlier that morning. He had to remember that she was still very ill and he needed to take her vacation slow and safe, despite the fact that they finally made love after so many months of being unable to. Eric reveled in the memory, but knew that the reality could be weeks off before repeating.

"How about we try and find Horatio a fitting thank you from us?" Eric asked.

Calleigh's face lit with a brilliant smile. "Let's do it and you can teach me about Puerto Rican street food." she said, happily, opening herself to the incredible sensations.

"That sounds fantastic as long as you're up to it. You had a rough night," Eric said, running his hands over her back. He was not willing to jeopardize her recovery for trinket shopping.

"I'm good. That little nap poolside did me a world of good, not to mention helping with a decent tan. I really want to bring something back for Horatio, in fact, the whole team, just to give them thanks for everything they have done; helped out with. Everyone has been so amazingly generous and I cannot let that go unrewarded. Our thanks just can't be only verbal. Something substantial has to happen," Calleigh said, her voice strong and clear. "I want to spoil them."

"Cal, how much did you manage to bring?" Eric asked.

"Enough," she answered. "The weekend is still on Horatio, except for souvenirs. I know I want one of those charming ceramic coquis to bring home for myself. I'd adopt a real coqui if Winnie wouldn't eat it. They're so charming and sweet. I'll miss their night songs until the next time we come here. There will be a next time, right?"

Eric couldn't believe how open Calleigh was with him. It had never happened before. "Yeah, of course. We can come back as much as you want. Cal, I had no idea that you like Puerto Rico this much."

She graced him with a brilliant smile. "Despite my restrictions, I can see the potential of a full out and glorious vacation here. The people are so generous and giving. I want to go back to the restaurant that we went to last night and order off the menu with careless abandon. I want to walk the beaches here without concern for anything other than a sunburn." Calleigh said. She pierced him with a very solemn look. "I want to come here to play when I am completely and entirely recovered and to fully enjoy the life this island has to offer."

Eric was aroused, "Anything you desire, querida. I want to bring you back here when you can fully revel in all the wonders of Puerto Rico. I want you to see here what I see and have that fun and relaxation that I find here. I can't not see myself ever denying you that pleasure."

She flashed him a joyous grin. "Good, lets go and find souvenirs for the team."

x-x-x-x-x

While they shopped, they were carefree to hold hands and stop and kiss whenever they wanted. Always, the native folk smiled and indulged them. The only annoying consequence was the fact that they were linguistically judged on features. The shop keepers, until otherwise educated, spoke Spanish to Eric and English to Calleigh, never once guessing that she was as fluent in Spanish as her lover; her beau.

Eric delighted in showing Calleigh the Puerto Rico that he had come to love. They ate tostones stuffed with pork and other good things and fried plantains from his favorite street vendor and Calleigh reveled in the joy of it, eating, again, far more than he had seen her eat in weeks. It made Eric feel better to see her so ravenous since she had had no appetite and had been so ill just that morning. For him, Puerto Rico had just become far more magical. With tentative hopes awakening, he began to envision San Juan being, perhaps, a Honeymoon destination for he and Calleigh, when it was finally time for it. That she was the one for him, he had no doubt. His heart had no room for anyone else. Or, perhaps, she would suggest her Gran's native Ireland, a country so foreign and magical for him. It would be cold and sweaters and coats would be needed, but he'd well risk the chill to see the land of heroes and giants that her Gran had so filled his head with a few years back. That Calleigh had never been there would mean a time of wonderment and magic for them both. He could see, in his mind's eye, making love to her as his wife as the sheep grazed and lazy mist filled the glens, somewhere a fairy harp playing softly in the distance...

"Eric, where'd you go?" Calleigh asked, tugging on his hand.

He colored. "Just thinking about our future."

She arched an eyebrow. "Really? I can assume it was good by the smile on your face."

"It was," he said and then paused for a moment. "Cal, have you ever been to Ireland?"

"No, only in my imagination through my Gran's stories and on the Travel Channel," she admitted with a sigh, tugging him over to a stall with cute trinkets. She was looking for something for Ryan. Instead, she found herself picking out a small decorated box for Natalia. "Why?"

"This just makes me think of things we've never seen and places we've never gone," Eric said.

"That's very introspective of you," Calleigh said lightly, adding a lovely pair of earrings in the box for Natalia. "What's brought this on?"

"Just watching you discover San Juan. You're taking to it like a fish to water. It made me think about the places I know that you've never seen and the places that you know, like New Orleans, that I've never seen; places we can discover together, like your Gran's Ireland. Wouldn't you like to go there sometime?" Eric explained, his voice electrified with excitement.

Calleigh, snuggled up against his arm after paying for their purchases. "Of course I would. I'd love to take you back to New Orleans. I could show you Tulane and we could walk the French Quarter and I could take you to dinner at the Delmonico. And I would love to go to Ireland and explore it with you. Of course I would," she said, beginning to lean on him slightly as a small wave of fatigue washed over her. "I think I could use a break."

"Why don't we grab some coffee over there," Eric suggested pointing to a small street cafe. They walked over and sat down, ordering coffee and snacks. "Babe, if you're too tired, we can go back to the hotel."

"No, not really. After coffee and something sweet, I'll be alright. I honestly don't feel the medication kind of tired, just regular tired," Calleigh stumbled clumsily and then blushed. "So my use of the English language is suffering right now."

Eric laughed and held her hand. "That's really cute."

"You shut up," she laughed back. "I can have blonde moments once in a while. I'm entitled to it; I'm a blonde."

Their coffees and pastries arrived and they settled into a comfortable silence, his left hand entwined with hers, fingers dancing and playing, caressing of palms, stroking.

Their pastries eaten and coffees almost gone, Eric gave Calleigh's hand a little squeeze. "How are you feeling now?"

She took a deep, relaxed breath. "Fine. The sit down and coffee really helped. I'd like to finish shopping. We still have to find something for Horatio."

"I have an idea for that. One of my trips here I bought him a bottle of premium white rum. They don't export it off the island. He said that it was the best rum he'd ever had," Eric said, rising and holding his hand out to Calleigh. "I know how you feel about alcohol-"

"Horatio will love it," she said as she took his hand. "If he'll enjoy it, then why don't we get him a bottle from each of us. Since he doesn't indulge often, I'm sure it'll last quite a while."

Eric raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Since you're alright, why don't we get the bottles and then head back to the hotel?"

"Sounds good," she replied, falling into step with him.

They continued down the street to the shop that had the liquor, each buying a bottle. Eric deliberately slowed their pace on the way back to the hotel, mindful of Calleigh's energy level. They had had a very active day so far and he wasn't about to jeopardize her health. He glanced at her as they entered the hotel. The sparkle that had left her eyes in the wake of the fire was back and her cheeks were ever-so-slightly-pink. Her time sunning herself earlier was just beginning to bronze her skin. She looked healthy again. He found that couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Calleigh noticed him looking at her again. "What?"

Eric smiled at her and she smiled back; gorgeous. "You look like you had before the fire. There's that sparkle in your eyes and your cheeks are pink and...and I can't..." he struggled for a moment, suddenly overcome with emotion. "I can't tell you how much that means to me, to see you looking so healthy again."

Calleigh felt a lump grow in her throat. Eric had nearly cried...over her. She had to say something, do something to reassure him. She did the only thing that came to mind. She halted and drew him into a passionate kiss. Once they broke apart she felt herself become a little shy with what she was bursting to say. "I've never said this to anyone before...I...I love you."

Eric was euphoric and lifted her in his arms, spinning her around. He kissed her. "I love you, too. Oh, Calleigh, you don't know how long I've wanted to say those words to you."

Once he put her down, she tugged him into the elevator. "Eric, you never had to say them because I knew. I knew by the way you have been taking care of me so tenderly since I got home from the hospital. You took a month's leave just to take care of me. That's not love? I knew the first time we made love. It wasn't just sex; we made love. There's a difference and we both know it. I trust you with every fiber of my being and that means not only with my body, but with my heart."

Eric was overcome by Calleigh's declaration. He wanted to get down on one knee, but he couldn't. He wanted to give them time to revel in the declarations of love first. He didn't want to move too fast, despite the fire and it's aftermath making him feel the weight of time. He hadn't actually gotten the ring yet, but he had been looking. When he found the perfect one, he'd propose. Now was not the time. "Calleigh, you're my life; my beating heart. I can't draw another breath without you. I think we need to move somewhere more private before we continue this."

"Yeah, I agree," Calleigh said, face flushing and ardor rising as she joined hands with him and they moved back toward their room, she reflected on the fact that she had been the first to declare her love. Then again, in this relationship, Eric was the nurturer and she the aggressor. He was sensitive and caring and she was more bold. It would stun a team of oxen to know how many men she hadn't been with and how much experience she hadn't had. With Eric, she ran on sheer emotion and knew he was satisfied and so was she.

Eric opened the door and tugged her inside.

Calleigh shut the door in a hurry and placed her arms around Eric's neck, kissing him passionately."Let me show you how much I love you," she purred.

As much as he wanted that more than anything, he couldn't think of his own satisfaction, but her health. "Wait, Cal, are you sure you have enough energy for this? I don't want to do any-"

"Sh-h-h-h, let me," she whispered, beginning to pepper kisses all over his neck, unbuttoning his shirt as she went lower.

He stopped her. "I don't want you to do yourself damage. Calleigh, believe me, I want what you're doing to continue, but not if it'll hurt you. I love you too much for that. You've had a busy and active day and I'd rather let you rest up a bit."

"I'm fine, Eric," she said quietly. She was beginning to fatigue slightly, but she thought she could continue.

Eric lifted her chin so he could see into her eyes. "No, Calleigh. You're getting tired. Babe, later." He took her hand and lead her to the balcony. "Let's sit on the balcony and-"

She pulled her hand from his. "No. Stop treating me like an invalid. It's been a wonderful day and I want it to continue and you want to treat me like I just got out of the hospital."

"Calleigh, remember throwing up this morning and shaking and the nausea? I hate seeing you like that," Eric said, putting his arms around her. At first she stiffened, but then relaxed into his embrace. "Babe, you know that this is going to take time and I don't want to have something happen to you when you're so far away from Dr. Goldflies. I know you feel good right now, but you have to take it slow. I can go and take a cold shower if I have to, but I don't want you to set yourself back just because of me or anything or anyone else."

She sighed heavily and put her arms around his waist. "I'm just so frustrated. I felt so good today and I know that I can wake up tomorrow and hardly be able to get out of bed. We just said that we love each other and I want to be able to express that in more than words and this disease isn't letting me do that for you."

"There'll be time enough for that later," Eric said soothingly, rubbing her back. "Come on, let's go on the balcony and lay in the lounger. We both need to rest up a little."

She let him go and stepped back. "Alright."

He grabbed the blanket off the bed and held her hand, thumb rubbing over her knuckles as they made their way out. Calleigh placed the pillows and got in the lounger She arranged her pillow until she was comfortable and held Eric's for him. He climbed in and pulled the blanket over the both of them just as the late afternoon breeze picked up.

Calleigh snuggled into Eric as he slid his arms around her. She sighed again. "Eric, I'm sorry I was so difficult. I just-"

"You're getting your wind back and your stubborn streak is starting to work again," Eric said, cutting her off. "You're becoming yourself again, Babe and I, for one, missed that part of you."

Calleigh laughed softly and then coughed. Suddenly, she couldn't stop. Eric sat her up and was just about to retrieve her inhaler but she held her hand up. "Water," she croaked between coughs.

He rushed to the bathroom and got her a cup of water. She sipped slowly until the coughing stopped altogether. She handed the cup back to him "Eric-"

He sat back down next to her, gathering her in his arms. "Sh-h-h, don't waste your breath on talking. Just stay calm and breathe." He settled the two of them, pulling the blanket over them once again. They lay snuggled together in the lounger, the only sounds were the breeze in the palms, the ocean calmly lapping the shore and the beginning of the coquis' night songs.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Thanks for the patience, folks! The school year had a rough start to it and now that it's near the end of the first quarter, I can finally get my wind back. Again, I need a coule of more suggestions before our couple head back home and end the story. Thanks for the reviews, all and hope you'll enjoy the chapter.**_

_**Recuperating**_

_**chapter 7**_

Eric smiled to himself as he opened the hotel room door. It was the perfect gift. He was not surprised, as he entered quietly, to find Calleigh still asleep. It had been like that since the fire. At first she had slept a lot, the combination of her meds making her alternately nauseous or so drowsy that she couldn't keep awake. Then, as they found the correct dosage, she slept less, but even this far away from that nearly tragic day, she slept sometimes 12 hours or more several times a week. He liked to think of it as healing sleep. He placed the bouquet of flowers on the nightstand and crept back into bed, watching her sleep. Realizing that it was already past nine, he began to gently trace his finger around the shell of her ear.

He followed his fingers with his lips. "Calleigh, time to get up." he breathed into her ear. She wrinkled her nose but did not open her eyes. "Wake up, Querida. I have a surprise for you." He trailed his kisses from her ear, across her cheek and to the tip of her nose. "You're going to love it."

Calleigh sighed, opening her eyes to find Eric so tantalizingly close. She smiled and put her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a brief kiss. "Will I love it as much as I love you?" she whispered.

"Maybe, but you won't be ready when it arrives unless you get up now," Eric said as he slid down far enough to lay his head on her shoulder.

She playfully shoved his head off of her. "Then I guess I'd best get up."

Eric laughed as she sat up and stretched. "You're sure cheerful this morning."

"Well, I had an amazing day yesterday, I'm in love with the most wonderful man in the world and I feel great. Why wouldn't I be cheerful?" Calleigh chirruped with a laugh.

"Well, welcome back the old Calleigh Duquesne," he laughed back, kissing her again. "Now go and get ready so I can take you to breakfast."

Calleigh smiled brightly at him. "I won't be long."

Eric smiled to himself as he heard the shower turn on. She was going to love his little surprise. While she had slept in that morning, he had gone down to the spa and booked two hour long full body massages, Calleigh's to be done in the room and his down in the spa itself. Calleigh would have the ultimate privacy of the hotel room, which would make her more comfortable with the whole thing. Eric knew that she enjoyed professional massages before and had a regular spa to go to when she felt the need for a massage, but this wasn't her spa or her massage therapist. The shower turned off and there was a short wait before Calleigh emerged, towel wrapped around her.

She went to the bureau and dug through the drawers where her clothing were stored. She pulled out underwear, a royal purple tank top and then went to the closet and chose a white, flowing cotton skirt. Calleigh was very aware of Eric's eyes on her as she dressed. "Like what you see?"

"Love it," Eric said, his voice husky with desire.

She tucked her feet into her favorite ballet flats and turned around, damp hair cascading down her back almost to her waist. "So, breakfast? I'm actually hungry this morning."

Eric's smile widened. "Really? That's great news, Cal. Before we forget, you-"

"Have to take my meds; I know," she replied before taking the individual bottles and removing the correct amount of medication from them. "You know what? I think I'll take them with my food and see if that helps keep the drowsiness and nausea at bay. Who knows, it just might work. I've never tried them on a full stomach before."

Eric offered her his arm, "Sounds like a plan."

"So, what's the surprise?" Calleigh asked as they made their way through the lobby and onto the street.

Eric took her hand in his. "Now if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it."

Calleigh bat her eyelashes at him. "Please?"

Eric laughed. "Alright, alright, I'll tell you! We're making good use of Horatio's generosity. I've booked the both of us in for an hour long full body massage with the hotel spa. You get to have one in the privacy of our room and I'll go down to the spa so we can have them at the same time."

"Really?" she exclaimed, her face lighting up and eyes sparkling. "That sounds wonderful! I could have joined you in the spa, you know."

"Well, I thought you'd like being in the room for it since you can fall asleep if you want afterward," Eric explained as they reached the restaurant that he had been leading her to. "You can't do that in the spa."

Calleigh raised an eyebrow at him. "Very thoughtful, but it's you. Eric you are one of the most thoughtful people I know."

Eric colored slightly. He was used to giving the compliments to Calleigh, not receiving them. "Thanks."

They feasted on eggs and beans with tortillas and fresh fruit juice and coffee, Eric's favorite breakfast in Puerto Rico. Paying for the meal, they then made their way back to the hotel and up to the room. They found their message light blinking. It was the girl from the pool wanting to know if they would like to have dinner together. After a short discussion, they decided to accept the invitation. While Eric spoke to her, there was a knock on the door.

Calleigh, always cautious, said,"Who is it?"

"Spa massage," replied a female voice.

Calleigh opened the door to reveal a woman with long brown hair tied in a ponytail, wearing the day spa's uniform of khaki walking shorts and a red polo. She had with her a portable massage table and various oils, candles and an iPod and decking station.

The woman extended her hand. "Hi, I'm Mary."

Calleigh shook the firm grip. "Calleigh."

The woman smiled at her and wheeled the table and other things in. "Then I'm giving you your massage."

Eric hung up the phone. "Cal, we'll be meeting Kendall at seven at Las Palmas. I know where it is. And, since I see your massage is here means that mine will be ready by the time I get downstairs." He placed a kiss on her cheek. "Enjoy it."

Mary watched him leave. "You're one lucky lady to have a husband like that."

"Thank you but we're not married. He's my boyfriend," Calleigh explained. "So, what do we do now?"

Mary started to set up her table. "I'll get my things set up and you disrobe and then I'll have you lay face down on the table first and then I'll ask you to flip over on your back. If there's any place that you're not comfortable with me touching, let me know. Are there any injuries that I should know about?"

"No, not really," Calleigh replied. "I'm recovering from smoke inhalation, but that shouldn't affect the massage."

"It won't. Go on and disrobe. I'll let you know when I'm ready."

Calleigh retreated to the bathroom and got undressed. When she was in nothing more than her panties, she wrapped one of the big bath towels around herself and returned to the main room. Mary had set up her table, drawn the drapes, set up and lit candles and was just finding the right album on the iPod. This all made the room cozy and comforting.

Mary looked up. "Good, I'm just about ready. Why don't you take the towel off and climb on? Lay face down and I'll adjust the bolster and headrest until you're comfortable. Have you had a massage before?"

"Yes, I have. I have a regular spa that I go to back home," Calleigh said, settling herself in as instructed. She waited patiently for everything to be adjusted.

"How does a mix of vanilla and lavender sound for massage oil?" Mary asked.

Calleigh grinned, although Mary couldn't see. "Heavenly.. I like the way you set up the room. It's very cozy."

Mary took a good amount of oil in her palm and rubbed her hands together to warm it. "Thanks. That's the whole idea; make you as relaxed as you can possibly be," she said as she began long strokes down Calleigh's back. She felt her client sigh in pleasure. "Now you tell me if anything needs more pressure or less."

"Mmm-hmn," Calleigh sighed and then gave herself over to the relaxing massage, letting out sighs of pleasure every now and again.

When Mary began to work her lower back, Calleigh let out a low groan. "Am I hurting you?"

"No, no, not at all. That feels so good. Could you use more pressure, please?" Calleigh said, then letting out another groan as Mary increased the pressure. She was positively in heaven. She wondered if Eric was enjoying his massage as much as she was enjoying hers. Calleigh was nearly half asleep by the time Mary asked her to turn over. Sleepily, she rolled over under the sheet.

"Still feeling good?" Mary asked, even though she could see the drowsy pleasure across her client's face.

"Incredible."

"Good, that's what I like to hear," Mary said, applying more oil and beginning to work Calleigh's shoulders from the front. Despite the knowledge that Eric shared with her when he booked the massages earlier that day, she could tell that her client was still very fit with excellent muscle tone everywhere, despite the long inactive period. "Your muscle tone is incredible. How often do you work out?"

Calleigh roused herself long enough to reply,"I run between 5 and 10 miles every day, plus working out at the gym a couple of times a week. I also play rugby. Well, I did until the fire. The doctor says there's no reason I can't once he gives me the clearance."

Mary's eyebrows went up. "Rugby? That's a rough sport."

"Yeah, it's not so bad. I've played since my sophomore year in college," Calleigh said with a small yawn.

Mary fell silent, thinking about what an interesting person this woman was. "So, how did you get caught in a fire?"

Calleigh was surprised by the question. "I ran into a burning house. I saw a boy in one of the windows on the second floor. He was pounding on the window, trapped. Anyway, I inhaled too much smoke and had to be hospitalized. My partner was completely fine. I'm still on medical leave from work."

Mary massaged Calleigh's shoulders. "Are you a police officer or something?"

Calleigh let out a soft cough. "CSI, actually. I solve puzzles for a living."

"Sounds exciting."

"If meticulously collecting evidence, playing with test tubes and microscopes is exciting, sure," Calleigh said with a grin.

Mary continued to work the front side of Calleigh's body, concentrating on the limbs, finishing with a gentle scalp massage and facial. "Alright, Calleigh, you're done."

Calleigh cracked her eyes open. "Done?'

Mary handed her a soft robe. "I'll go and wash my hands and you can get yourself clothed."

"Thanks," she replied, waiting until Mary went into the bathroom to try and get up. She felt like her entire body turned into pudding; she almost felt completely boneless. The deep relaxation made her sleepy. She pulled the robe on and tied the belt, sitting down on the bed.

Mary came back in and began packing up her things. "So, I take it that you enjoyed yourself?"

Calleigh nodded lazily. "Very much; thank you.. Oh! I should probably-'

"Nope. The tip is included in the price. Well, Calleigh, it's been nice meeting you and I hope that you recover quickly," Mary said, already wheeling her table out. "Enjoy the rest of your stay."

"I will; thank you," Calleigh said as she closed the door. She gazed over at the bed; it looked so incredibly inviting. Maybe she'd just lay down until Eric got back. She slid the bedspread down and slipped beneath the covers. She was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.

X-x-x-x

Eric dragged himself up to the room after his massage. He hoped that Calleigh had a similar pleasurable experience. He was so relaxed that he felt nearly boneless. He slid the key card in to the lock and the light blinked green. He pushed the door open to find the room in dim lighting. He could smell the massage oil and candle wax in the air.

"Calleigh?" he called, walking farther into the room. As he neared the bed, he saw one of the most endearing sights he's yet to see. Calleigh was sound asleep, hair fanned out behind her and the most peaceful look on her face that he'd ever seen. She must have loved the massage. At first, he considered waking her, but with how peaceful she looked, he couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead, he found himself crawling in beside her and succumbing to the urge for a nap, himself.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Recuperating **_

_**Chapter 8**_

It was slightly over an hour later when they awoke. For the first time in a long time, Calleigh rose before Eric. She rolled over and just contented herself to watching him sleep for a few minutes before fluttering butterfly kisses over his closed eyelids. She lightly, teasingly, kissed the shell of his ear before moving lower. She nibbled his jawline and then she felt him smile.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked, peppering his lips with tiny kisses.

"Since you kissed my ear. How was your massage?" he replied, kissing her back. He stroked her soft hair.

"Heavenly. I was so relaxed that I couldn't resist laying down for a while. I didn't expect to fall asleep. I didn't even hear you come in," she said, sitting up. "How was yours?"

"I was nearly boneless when I was done. Thank God for massage therapy.." He caught her wrist as she tried to leave the bed. "Where are you going?"

"Well, I was thinking of following up on this relaxation theme and was going to suggest that we grab our suits and go for a soak in the jacuzzi and then maybe take in some sun for a while." She leaned back over and kissed Eric almost chastely.

He grinned at her. "Sounds like a plan."

They changed, grabbed towels and sun tan lotion and headed off to the jacuzzi. It was pretty empty when they arrived. With it being a good 85 degrees outside, no one was in the jacuzzi at all. Leaving their things on two nearby loungers, they entered the bubbling water.

"I didn't realize that it was this hot out. Maybe the jacuzzi isn't such a great idea," Calleigh said, but her body responded to the swirling, bubbling heat. She sank down in the water until she sat on the ledge.

Eric slid in next to her. "Not with the way this is making me feel. I think it's just right."

"We should keep our eye on the time. We're still meeting Kendall this evening," Calleigh cautioned. She yawned. "Don't let me fall back to sleep or I won't sleep tonight. Or, maybe we can do a little something to burn off excess energy?"

"Whoa there, girl. Not so fast. That's for after dinner, not before. Besides, if we burned a little energy before dinner, we might never make it to the restaurant. I don't think I'd let you out of the bed," Eric said in his low rumble. It was the tone guaranteed to melt Calleigh.

She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. "You're right. I don't think I'd ever want to get out of the bed after that. This has been the most wonderful vacation that I think I have ever been on."

"Really? I mean, Cal, you have to have had some fantastic vacations before," Eric said quietly.

"Oh, I've gone to some beautiful places, but not with someone that I wanted to be with," she replied, enjoying the gentle massaging of the jets.

Eric hesitated before saying, "Not even when you went to Antigua with Jake?"

Calleigh's voice was sad, "No. Jake he was...he was a diversion, something to take my mind off of you. When I got in the elevator, I turned back and looked at your face. I knew I had broken your heart. Eric, I knew how you felt about me when we talked earlier that day. I had wanted to talk it out with you later, but then Jake kissed me and you saw and I thought that I'd blown it with you for good. The only reason I went with Jake was because I was so upset that I had hurt you, I couldn't think of what else to do. You know I've never been good with feelings. So, while Antigua was beautiful and I had a nice time, I wasn't with the one I wanted."

Eric settled in further. "I was so upset with you. I was for a long time. I thought that I had lost my one shot with you when you got on that elevator and then I heard that you went to Antigua with Jake. I was heartbroken. I thought that it was at the worst while you were gone. Seeing you and knowing that you were with him just made everything hurt all the more. I really didn't mean to out you to Stetler."

"You know, like I've said before, it just sped up the inevitable. Jake and I weren't going to last. I knew that going in. We broke up and he went back under cover. That's his real love; under cover investigating," Calleigh said quietly. She was glad that they were talking it out. It needed to be said. "I really don't expect to hear from him for a long time. I don't know where he is or what case he's on. I don't even know if he's alive or not."

"And that still bothers you, doesn't it?" Eric asked.

She nodded. "I may not love Jake, but I do care about him and I always will. We were important to each other once. Does that bother you?"

Eric thought about it for a minute before he spoke. "No, not really. A while back it might have, but not now. I was jealous. I wanted to tell you how I felt, but I just couldn't. We'd be so close for so long and I was afraid that if I told you how I felt, you'd pull away and I would have ruined the friendship. So I shut up and suffered in silence."

Despite the heat, she snuggled into him. "So what finally got you to open up? I mean, you have to have known that I read your file from Dr. Marsh and you knew what was in there."

"Cal, I was still scared that you'd reject me," Eric said, placing a kiss to the top of her head. "And when you outright asked me what I wanted, I froze. I couldn't get it out. It wasn't until you collapsed at P.D. That it hit me in the face. I could have lost you and never once told you how I felt."

Calleigh smiled softly. "I'm glad you did. You know that I don't do emotions all that well. I couldn't have said anything. I don't know how. Giving into my emotions has only gotten me into trouble in the past."

"You're doing better with them now. We couldn't have had this conversation six months ago," Eric said. She meant so much to him and he nearly lost her for a second time just a few short months back. "Promise me no more burning buildings."

"I think that's a fair promise," Calleigh said, pulling away from Eric. "I'm starting to sweat. I'm going to take a short dip in the pool. Coming?"

Eric grinned. "Right behind you."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

After a lazy time swimming and time laying in the sun, they went back up to their room and got ready for their dinner with Kendall. Calleigh sat on the bed, watching Eric get dressed. She let her eyes wander hungrily over his body, knowing that it wouldn't take much to seduce him after dinner, that was, if her body would co-operate and not spaz out on her with nausea or excessive tiredness again. It was frustrating since they had been given permission to be intimate again.

Eric glanced at her, seeing the fire in her eyes. "Are you just going to sit there and watch or are you going to actually get dressed? It's not like I'm not enjoying you in that bikini, but we do have to get going in about half an hour."

"But I'm enjoying the view," she purred with a wicked grin. He started to button his mint green shirt. "Well, now all my fun is gone. I guess I'll get dressed."

Eric grinned as she went to the closet and pulled out a bright yellow sundress that she had bought just before the house fire. She had planned to wear it to Alexx's Memorial Day barbecue. She never got that chance. The bright yellow glowed against her slight tropical tan. Eric watched as Calleigh went into the bathroom and readied herself for the evening. She went with pale pink eyeshadow and pink frosted lipstick. It complimented her beautifully.

Calleigh glanced over her shoulder. "Now who is watching whom? Enjoying yourself?"

"Very much and if we don't leave right now, we won't be leaving at all," Eric said, his voice a husky growl.

"I don't know whether to leave or stall," Calleigh purred back.

"I'm voting for leaving because with you looking so incredible, I want to show you off.," Eric said, offering Calleigh his arm.

She smiled up at him, dazzling him with her beauty. "Then I definitely want to leave so that I can show you off."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

They entered the restaurant and quickly found Kendall at a horseshoe table situated near the open patio. She smiled and waved at them. "Hi, I'm glad you could make it. So that's what you look like in clothes."

Calleigh laughed. "Surprised?"

"No, you both look good in clothing," Kendall laughed back. "I hope you like the restaurant. They actually cook your food at the table."

Eric and Calleigh shared a look that could only be considered as worried.

"Is there something wrong?" Kendall asked, hoping she hadn't made a mistake in choosing the restaurant.

Calleigh spoke up. "Oh, no, not at all. We were just surprised that they cook your meal at the table." She kicked Eric under the table. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Calleigh, your-" Eric hissed.

"It'll be fine," Calleigh hissed back. "This should be an adventure."

Kendall smiled, still unsure of what to make of the exchange.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x

Eric and Calleigh found Kendall to be a wonderfully entertaining dinner companion. Finally, the chef came to their table to cook their meals. Eric eyed Calleigh again and she kicked him under the table again.

"Excuse me, but is this going to be smoky?" Eric asked.

The chef looked at him. "It should be fine, sir. There is normally very little to no smoke involved. Is there a problem?"

"No, just curious," Calleigh answered before Eric could open his mouth. "I, uhm, had an accident a few months back and I'm a little sensitive to smoke, that's all. This should be** just fine**. I can always step out onto the patio, right, Eric."

Glancing briefly at Kendall's worried face, Eric went against his better judgment. "I'm sure this will be alright."

As the chef began to prepare the grill, Kendall turned to Calleigh. "Accident? What happened?"

Calleigh began to explain at length about the boy in the window and her collapse at the scene. She was just getting to the part when she woke up in the hospital when a light breeze blew a small amount of smoke in her face. She coughed violently, wheezing her breath in, fighting for every bit of air. She dove into her bag and dug out her inhaler, taking a couple of puffs. No sooner did she finish, but Eric got her up and moved her to the patio where she could breathe in clean air.

"Slowly, babe," he coached.

Kendall joined them. "Calleigh, are you okay? Is she going to be okay? Should I call 911?" Kendall asked, terribly alarmed.

Calleigh sucked in an easy breath. "I'm fine. The smoke just irritated a bit. I need to sit down."

Eric grabbed a chair from a nearby table and eased her into it. He knelt in front of her as the manager brought a glass of water. Calleigh took it gratefully and sipped the water carefully, allowing the coolness of it soothe her throat.

Enrique, the manager, hurried over. "Miss, are you alright?"

Calleigh nodded. "I'll be fine. Please don't fuss. I got a little breathless with the smoke. I'm a bit sensitive."

"I should never have chosen this place. I wouldn't, had I known. Please forgive me," Kendall said, remorse in her voice.

Eric shook his head. "No, I should have said something when you mentioned the restaurant earlier. This is my fault."

"Will you both stop it?" Calleigh said in a clear, strong voice. "I'm fine now. Let's just change table to one of the ones out here and be done with it. Is a nice dinner with a new friend too much to ask?"

Eric grinned at her, delight showing in every line of his face. "Welcome back, Calleigh."


End file.
